Heart Therapy
by Extreme-Anime
Summary: His wife broke his heart, and caused him to do some reckless things. Now he has to undergo physical therapy if he wants to learn to walk again, and maybe some heart therapy if he wants to learn to love again. AU, Sess/Rin
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, and welcome to my new story. I hope you like it ;)**

**Heart Therapy**

**Chapter 1-**

_-Part 1-_

"See you later, boss."

A tall man threw his hand over his shoulder in response, and continued to where he knew the elevator to be. With a flick of his fingers, his silver ponytail was thrown over his shoulder. A sigh parted his lips, and piercing amber eyes blinking tiredly. A woman walking in the opposite direction smiled kindly at him as he passed.

"See you tomorrow, Sesshomaru."

"As to you, Ann."

Stifling a yawn, Sesshomaru pushed the elevator's down button in a rapid succession. The light for the down arrow lit up as a ding noise was heard, and he watched silently as the doors finally slid apart. The first floor was selected, and he leaned against the wall.

He was exhausted. Anyone could assume as much by the way he was uncharacteristically dragging his feet and limply holding his briefcase and jacket. He wanted nothing more than to go home, and crawl between his wife's legs to rest his head between her breasts. He would take the greatest comfort from falling asleep peacefully with her.

The small thought warmed his heart for a moment. Some energy somewhat returned to his step when the doors opened and he glided out of the shaft. The only sound was that of his loafers hitting the marble floor as he walked down the deserted hall towards the parking garage.

A quick glance at his Rolex told him it was well past eleven. His wife wouldn't be happy, but he'd make it up to her. He'd take off tomorrow, just for her. This time a ghost of a smile curved his lips. Sesshomaru was not, in the slightest, a man of many emotions. However, when it came to her, he allowed himself the pleasure of feeling.

He trusted her. She would never take advantage of his vulnerability shown only to her.

Never.

Throwing his case and jacket into the backseat of his onyx car, he quickly produced his keys and the car hummed to life. Josh Groban instantly flooded the car, and Sesshomaru physically relaxed. Only few people knew it, but he absolutely enjoyed the operatic pop from that genius of a man. Turning the volume up a few notches, he shifted the gear into reverse and backed up out of the spot, only to shift again and sped down the ramp.

He was eager to get home. The usually thirty minuet ride only took twenty. He drove past the gates and down the long driveway to the path that led to the garage. He didn't feel like parking inside, so he left the sleek black vehicle parked in the circle before heading for the back door.

The house was dark and quiet. Sesshomaru pulled at his tie before finding the grand stairway with his advanced vision. Taking two at a time, he reached the hall and let his tired body move in the direction of his bedroom. His wife would be surprised since he had told her he wouldn't be home until much later.

No doubt that would save him from her glowering. He was just reaching for the door knob when a quiet sound reached his pointed ears. He paused, confused as to what it could be. It was coming from somewhere down the opposite direction of the hall way.

He sniffed lightly, and realized her scent was placed down there as well. Hers… and another. Normally, he wouldn't have thought twice about the strange presence of another, because whenever he worked late she liked to have someone stay with her. However, they were always women. This person had a very distinct masculine smell about them.

Sesshomaru, eyes narrowing, emitted a low growl. She knew he didn't want her bringing men into his house when he was not home. Prepared to scold the woman and send the man home with a scowl, the business man stalked down the hall.

He finally arrived at the room in which they occupied, which happened to be second floor theater room. A series of extremely sexual noises filtered through the door, and Sesshomaru could only stand there dazed.

Perhaps it is a movie.

Sighing in relief, Sesshomaru assumed his angry face before gripping the metal and pulling it downward. With a gentle push, the mahogany door drifted open, and he stepped inside. The first thing he noticed was the strong smell of sex that filled the room. The second was his wife and an unknown man.

They didn't notice him immediately; she threw her head back as a sickening moan tickled out of her while the man continued to fuck her. Sesshomaru would have never imagined that one day he would feel so much unchecked disgust for his beloved partner.

He didn't realize he was growling until both perpetrators looked up. They pushed off of each other with looks of frightened children plastered on their faces. He could smell the sudden rise of fear in both of them.

Then she had the nerve and audacity to, after wrapping HIS shirt around her, approach him with a sugar sweet smile and big pleading eyes. Five minuets ago, that look would have made Sesshomaru give her anything she was asking for. Now, it only sparked an intense wave of nausea.

He yanked his arm back when she daringly reached out to touch him; a snarl ripped through his throat.

"Maru, please!"

He took a step back, and hit her with a look that he could only imagine was displaying his sore and abused heart.

"Please? What the fuck you want me to do, Kagura?"

Her crimson eyes filled with tears, and she threw a hand back to dismiss the man shaking a few feet away.

"This doesn't mean anything, Maru! It was just sex!"

"Just sex?"

His roar made her flinch back and fall down. Tears now ran freely down her cheek.

"Do you know how many times I could have fucked one of those whores in my office, but didn't because I thought my five year long marriage meant more to me than that? And you bring this piece of shit into my house, and call it just sex?"

The man in question jerked when a clawed finger was pointed into his direction, and started crying loudly. A small puddle formed around his feet, and Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose as the small of urine hit him.

Beyond disgusted, he back up from the room. Kagura bounded up and after him, screaming.

"Don't leave, Maru! Please, I promise it won't happen again!"

When she gripped his chest and refused to let go, Sesshomaru felt a stabbing pain seize his chest. His resolve, for only a few moments, was momentarily shattered. He couldn't deny that he loved the woman crying on his chest. He couldn't deny the fact that he wished desperately that he had come home much later, when she would have disposed of all evidence of her adultery.

He wrapped his arms around her small quivering frame, and buried his face into her shoulder. His voice was hardly louder than a whisper.

"Kagura"

She let one of her hands slid behind his neck, and her lips placed an eager kiss below his ear.

"Yes?"

The way her voice filled with hope sent another pang of pain across his chest. Yet, he couldn't deny the seeded disgust and disappointment that already scarred his heart. He would never trust another woman again.

"Be gone before I come back."

He pulled out of her embrace and quickly strode down the hall without looking back. Her harsh sobs almost made him turn around, but he descended the stairs with his eyes set forward. He ignored her cries for him to come back, and ignored the feeling of his heart screaming for him to go back and forgive her. He was angry. Angry that she had cheated on him after five years of marriage, angry that he had opened his self up for her, angry that she could make him feel some many emotions at once. He was also torn, sad, and incredibly lost.

What would he do without her now?

He felt reckless, and numb. Jumping back into his car, he didn't care to abide by the rules of the road. Cars blared their horns angrily at him, but he didn't care. Suddenly, he found himself back at his company, an empire that he had built for her; she so could enjoy the luxury of a wealthy lifestyle.

He knew what he was about to do, but he didn't linger too long on the repercussions. He skipped the elevator, and took the stairs all the way up to the thirtieth floor. The few people that occupied the floor greeted him in surprise, but he had tunnel vision. He was at her office in a matter of minutes. Opening the door and slamming it behind him, he watched as the room's occupant jumped and looked up with alerted eyes.

Once she saw him, however, she visibly relaxed. A soft smile curved her lips.

"Oh, Sesshomaru. I didn't expect you to be back. Did you forget something?"

He only watched her silently for a moment. Ann was not at all that subtle about her want for him. She leaned down to place her head in the palm of her hand, successfully giving him a nice view of her cleavage. Growling, he was quick to circle the desk and pull her chair out. She gasped when he pulled her body up and placed her butt on her desk.

"Sessho-"

He cut her off with a harsh kiss; one in which she responded to immediately. He wasted no time with foreplay. He hastily yanked down her panties and pulled up her skirt before unbuckling his belt. They started a harsh rhythm together; he kept his mouth on hers to keep her moans quiet.

He came just after her body shook with her own orgasm. Biting her tongue, he pulled out and the white stream settled on her stomach and thigh. She was breathing heavily, and smiling at him in a way that made Sesshomaru suddenly feel sick. Pushing her away from him, he hastily zipped his pants back up and left her sitting there half naked. Her call fell on deaf ears.

He was more than repulsed with his self. He had sunk down to Kagura's level, and he regretted every second of it. Everyone seemed to be looking at him with a strange look of surprise. They all knew what just happened. Angry again, he walked swiftly pass all of their pitying looks and left the building as fast as he would.

He was driving again before he knew it. The car swerved dangerously, as if he was drunk. Suddenly, that didn't seem like too bad of an idea. He changed directions, heading for the closest bar in his memory.

The place was jammed pack with bodies dancing and holding drinks. He pushed his body through the crowd of people, occasionally brushing off hands and drunken women, and finally took a seat at the bar. The bartender took one look at him and shook his head knowingly.

"Tough night?"

Frowning, Sesshomaru glared at him.

"Give me something strong."

"Gotcha."

A few seconds later, a shot glass was placed in front of him with liquid in it. Without asking what it was, the man threw it back and slammed the glass back on the wood. This repeated it's self until Sesshomaru was so drunk that he couldn't remember his name. But the pain from Kagura still crippled him. Exasperated, he put his head down and moaned.

A hand gently slid around his shoulders, and an airy voice whispered in his ear.

"Are you okay?"

Looking up, Sesshomaru took in her doe brown eyes and concerned expression. He decided that she was pretty. Using a clawed finger, he gently grew a pattern on her soft cheek.

"No."

His voice slurred, and she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Drinking your problems away, huh?"

Though her voice was condescending, her expression remained concerned. He shrugged.

"So what happened?"

"My wife cheated on me."

Her mouth formed the shape of an O, and she offered him a sad smile.

"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. But you know, things happen. You shouldn't do things to spite her, like drink yourself stupid."

Mad that this stranger was trying to tell him what to do with his life, Sesshomaru pushed his self up from the bar and stood. Without saying anything else, he re-emerged into the sea of bodies. The cool night air stung his face. Walking slowly, he fumbled with the keys in his pocket. A nagging feeling told him he knew better than to drive in this state, but he dismissed it.

The car roared to life after a few minutes of trying to start it, and Sesshomaru took off down the street at an incredible speed. He was going too fast already. He sped through a red light, and unknowingly crossed the double yellow lines. A pair of lights appeared on the road in front of him, and he squinted to figure out what it was. The sound of a continued blaring horn reached him, and realization dawned on him. Cursing, he jerked the steering wheel to the left and narrowly avoided the car. However, he then lost control of his own car. It spun around and shimmed across the road.

The last thing he remembered was smacking his head against the driver's window as the car smashed into a thick tree. He moaned, feeling a pain in his legs before darkness consumed him.

**So, how do you like this new fic? Tell me in a review ;). This chappy is short because it's the intro, and I wanted it to end with that last scene. Future chappys will have length:)- AF**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to all of those who read the first chapter and are about to read the second. I'm already in love with the place I want this fic to head. Anyways, chapter two -AF**

**Chapter 2-**

Heavy panting could be heard from outside of an apartment door. The sound of a key scratching the keyhole was heard, and then there was a muffled curse. Someone, no doubt female, giggled sweetly. At last, the lock turned with an abused creak, and the gray peeling door was thrown open.

A couple staggered into the living room loudly, dressed in what may have once been suitable dining outfits. The door was slammed back into its original position with a forceful kick of a foot, and the two became chaotically emerged within each other.

The woman, a young looking college student with long dark tresses and bright blue eyes, let loose a series of sounds that were a cross between giggles and moans. Her male escort spared no time in hoisting her up by her legs and walking the five feet to the living room sofa. With a flick of his hand, shiny platinum strands were tossed over his broad shoulder, and he descended his hungry mouth onto his companion's neck.

A delighted squeal left her mouth, and she struggled for a moment to pull his shirt up and unbutton it. She could hardly focus on the pair of cloudy amber eyes that studied her for a few random seconds before they disappeared into the junction of her neck and shoulder.

When wondering hands yanked the hem of her black dress up to her hips, she let out a gasp of surprise. One of her arms flailed out to regain her balance on the arm of the couch. Something smooth and big came into contact with her fingers then, and with a soft thud the object fell to the floor.

The small TV that sat in front of the couch flashed to life, and the woman could only stare at the flicker picture in shock. Unaware, the man continued his hasty removal of both of their clothes. He only stopped and looked up when the woman beneath him harshly pushed him away from her.

"What gives Kags?"

When she gave no answer, she moved to grasp the remote from the floor. Before his thumb could ghost over the power button, the woman sprang to life.

"Inuyasha, isn't that your brother?"

He frowned at her, but followed her horizontal arm pointed to the TV screen. As soon as he processed the news report, a look of disbelief took hold of his face. Without looking down, he unmuted the set.

_"I'm live at a terrible accident site on route 0-9. It seems that a drunken driver, who was reported speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road, smashed his car into a tree. As you can see behind me, he is just now being pulled from the wreckage after three hours of work. Amazingly, the driver is still alive but with major injuries. An ID found on the body confirms the driver's identity to be Sesshomaru Takahashi, a business tycoon whose network value is estimated to be in the billions. He is now being taken to a hospital, where doctors will hopefully save his life."_

"Shit, shit, shit—"

Inuyasha jumped up from where he sat on the edge of the cushion, and fisted his hands into his hair while pacing like a mad evil genius.

"Inu, call Mr. Takahashi!"

Feeling the intelligence in his girlfriend's order, he raced to the kitchen where his house phone sat awaiting on the receiver. The few seconds it took his father to answer felt like an eternity. His nerves were on the edge; he felt like he was going through a million different emotions at once.

_"Hello?"_

"Dad! Holy fuck, turn on the news!"

_"Inuyasha, I'll not tolerate that type of language! I'll have you know I'm currently having a romantic dinner with your mother, and I don't have time to indulge in whatever you want me to –"_

"Shut up! Sesshomaru's fucked up! Turn on the goddamn news!"

There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the receiver, and footsteps could be heard as his father began moving somewhere.

_"Hold on."_

Inutaisho set down the phone, and crossed the kitchen before walking into the den. The soft pitter-patter of feet made him glance up from his task of finding the right remote, and an apologetic smile curved his lips.

"I'm sorry dearest, but our son insists that I see what crazy thing Sesshomaru has done in public once again."

A woman with waist length dark brown hair and flattering wide dark eyes smiled gently in return as she joined her husband. Picking up the TV remote, she quickly turned on the wide screen.

"It's fine, let's see what the latest scandal is about."

Once the report of the crash and the video of Sesshomaru's limp body being pulled out of his wrecked car reached the couple's eyes, nether one was smiling any longer. Crying out, Izayoi quickly turned and dashed from the room, screaming 'my baby' and 'mommy's coming'.

In a state of silent disbelief, Inutaisho walked in a dazed state back to the house phone that he had left on the dinner table.

He couldn't believe what he had just seen; the amount of pain that surged through his heart when he saw his own flesh and blood, who was literally torn down to his flesh and blood, being pulled from the heap of metal that once resembled a vehicle was nearly numbing.

He raised the phone to his pointed ear slowly, trying to make sense of what could have happened. Somewhere in the house, Izayoi was screaming for her car keys.

"Inuyasha, what happened?"

_"I don't know Kagome, and I just listened to the report. They're saying he was drunk and on the wrong side of the road. Apparently, he hit a tree. What do we do?"_

"Figure out what hospital he's been taken to, chances are they will only contact Kagura since that is his spouse. Call my cell phone when you have it. Then we'll meet at the hospital. Stay calm, Inuyasha. Sesshomaru is full blooded; he couldn't have injured himself that bad…"

As he said this, Inutaisho couldn't withhold the shiver of doubt that crept through his usually strong voice. His son just looked so…mangled.

_"Okay, I'll call right back."_

Hanging up, Inutaisho set the phone down before climbing the stairs hastily. When he reached the third floor, he strode past the already opened doubled mahogany doors of his bedroom.

He found his estranged wife lying on the floor in the mists of a destroyed room, sniffling softly. When he kneeled down beside her, she grasped onto him tightly in a white knuckled grip.

"Tashy, I can't find any of my keys! Poor Sesshomaru, we need to be there with him! What if he dies?"

Embracing his human mate, he cooed softly in her ear until she relaxed a fraction.

"Sesshomaru is a strong man, Izayoi, he will not die. Have faith that he is in good hands. All we can do is pray."

_**V**_

How can one begin to describe the feeling of oncoming death? There were no words, nor emotions; not even a name to describe what Sesshomaru was dealing with at that exact moment.

All he knew were the faces that blurred over him, and the soft yet far away echoes of voices. He didn't know where he was, and he doubted he was anywhere. The sensation of floating was taking hold of his body. He felt as if he was slowly fading away, getting lighter and lighter until only small pieces of him remained.

Then a jolt shocked him, and brought him back down to reality. The faces, they were no longer blurred, but detailed grim mugs that leaned over him with grave expressions. The far away noises became booming and alarming all at once; he wanted nothing more than to cover his poor sensitive ears before they exploded.

He was confused and angry. He wasn't aware of where he was, or what was going on. If he looked past the faces, he could see that every few seconds a light flashed over head, and then faded away. Then again.

He was moving. A throbbing pain shot through his head and made him squeeze his eyes shut, as if the motion would alleviate the pain. It didn't.

It took a long moment for him to realize that he could feel his legs. An experiment told him he couldn't move them either. Drowning in a pool if dizziness and confusion, he opened his eyes back and tried to zero in on what the people around him were saying. For the first time, he noticed that they were all dressed in green scrubs.

_"I need that bleeding stopped, stat!"_

_"Doctor, he's going to need surgery right away to remove the metal from his head!"_

_"He's bleeding all over the gurney!"_

A hospital. He was in a hospital. The memory of his crash drifted back to his mind, and realization dawned on him. He must have badly injured himself. That's why he couldn't feel his legs.

"Man, I wonder what causes a man like this to be so reckless."

He wanted to spit in that man's face. How dare he judge him! He didn't know what it was like to…

Her face flashed through his mind, and it reopened a hardly scabbed over wound. Kagura had caused him to be so reckless. She had affected him that much. Overcome with sudden angry, Sesshomaru, albeit painfully, lifted his left hand to his vision range.

His wedding band was still intact; he wanted it gone. Rising his other hand up as well, he attempted to twist the offending symbolic band off. His fingers were swollen, however, and his constant jerks and twist proved unsuccessful.

His heart panged, and pushed to drastic levels, Sesshomaru raised his ring finger to his mouth. He was prepared to crush the bone to sand; if only it meant that he would be free of the metaphoric cage that he felt was produced by his wedding ring.

_"He's trying to hurt himself!"_

_"Give him a shot, now!"_

A pinch was felt in his forearm, and Sesshomaru growled threateningly. Energy, however, seemed to slip away from him. Fighting the medication was fruitless; his heavy eyes soon gave way, and his muscles relaxed from their tense stance. Soon, he was back in his world of blurry faces and far away sounds.

When the effects of his medicine wore out the second time, Sesshomaru woke back up with a start. He gazed around at his new surroundings, realizing after a few moments that he was in a room.

The walls were a commercial white with a flower themed wall paper to frame the borders, and the floor was tiled with big grayish white tiles. A few chairs were placed against the wall that held a wide window. Beside him, a heart monitor beeped with his every pulse.

Strangely, the last thing he noticed was the breathing tube that was down his throat. The clock on the wall furthest from his bed read 8:15. Morning? Night? He had no idea how long he had been in this room sleeping.

He tried to think back, and remembered the conversations that were earlier conducted over him. He distinctly remembered a nurse mentioning surgery. Did he already go under the knife?

Using his right hand to grip the thin hospital blanket, Sesshomaru hesitantly pulled it aside. Below the hem of the hospital gown he was now wearing, his legs were bandaged in scores of bandage.

No even his toes were visible. Dragging the cover back over his appendages, he tried to remain calm. He wanted the breathing tube out. Every time he swallowed, the lining of his throat contracted around the plastic; it was not a very enjoyable sensation.

He was just looking for a call button when the door to his room began to slowly turn. Kagura walked in, carrying a cup of steaming coffee and a tissue. She brought the tissue up and drabbed her wet eyes vehemently; mascara streaked down her cheeks along with her silent tears.

When she looked up and saw him staring at her, she nearly dropped her coffee. The look of relief that spread across her face almost made him forget of her earlier deceit. For a few seconds, he pretended that she hadn't cheated, and he took solace in the fact that she was here with him in his time of need.

"Thank God, Sesshomaru. They said you might be in a coma for a while."

She pulled a chair and sat down near his bed, resting one of her hands over his limp one. He noticed she wouldn't look him straight in his eyes. Without warning, she broke down. She withdrew her hand as her body shuddered from her muffled sobs, and raised it to her face.

"I know it's my fault. If I never did what I did, you would be fine. We'd be home, in bed, together like you said. Now—"

She waved a hand towards his legs, "You're hurt. I'm a horrible person, I…I—"

Sesshomaru did something that even shocked himself. He raised his left arm and gently touched her face. She froze, a distressed look on her features, and continued to cry softly. He ran his thumb over her wet and makeup smeared cheek, in a gesture he hoped would calm her down.

He wanted to tell her that it was okay, that he was alive and he still loved her, but the damn tube was in his mouth. Instead, he slid his fingers behind her neck and forced her head down onto his chest.

She sniffed, and relaxed, eventually getting back up to join him in the bed. Her face buried into the crook of his neck, and Sesshomaru could feel that she was slightly shaking.

"I'm so sorry, Maru. I was just so lonely. Please forgive me."

He growled low in his chest, causing vibrations he hoped would relax her. Both of his arms wrapped around her tightly.

As wrong as an outsider may have thought this was, one must understand that this had been his wife for years. There was no dispute that he loved her dearly, and at that moment, it didn't matter that she had stepped out on their marriage.

She was the closest person to him, the only being he sought comfort from for years. He needed her right now, and that was all there was to it.

As silence filled the air, the room's two occupants slowly nodded off to sleep.

When Sesshomaru awoke once more, the warm presence of his wife was absent. He found that she was back at her original spot by his bedside, and that she was no longer his only company.

The only noise came from the heart monitor, which beeped silently with every pump of Sesshomaru's heart. Outside the window left to his bed, the sun shined merrily, seemingly mocking him. He didn't address is visitors at all. They presence brought forth the graveness of the situation that he had unknowingly been avoiding.

He was unable to completely comprehend at that moment what this accident meant in regards to his future, and that alone left him feeling helpless and angry.

Amidst his thoughts, the door opened, and the tense silence was finally shattered. A tall man walked into the room, sporting a clean white jacket and a clipboard. He cleared his throat loudly before shuffling through the papers he had clipped to his board.

"Good morning, my name is Dr. Kosh. How are you feeling this morning, Mr. Takahashi?"

He paused as he waited for the other man's response, and frowned when he didn't receive one. Sesshomaru's eyes stayed trained on the far wall. The doctor turned to the other occupants of the room, raising an eyebrow in question. A middle aged woman stepped forward, gently placing a comforting hand on Sesshomaru's forearm while addressing the doctor.

"He's had a rough night and morning. My name is Izayoi; I'm his step-mother. This is my husband and his father, Inutaisho, and this is his half-brother Inuyasha. Over there is Mrs. Takahashi."

Dr. Kosh nodded, and glanced through his papers again before pulling up a chair to sit in. He gestured for everyone to sit, and then sighed gravely.

"As you all know, Mr. Takahashi was in a bad auto accident last night. Now normally with demon patients, they heal in an exceptional period of time as opposed to humans. However, due to his intense intoxicated state, his usually highly reactive repair cells were, you can say, drastically delayed."

Inutaisho, a man with wispy silver locks and serious amber eyes nodded silently, as did his family. He gestured to his son.

"Okay, so he's sober now. Why isn't his body reacting to the damage?"

"It doesn't work that way. You see, his repair cells are temporarily damaged. They won't be back to 100% functioning capacity for a few months. His healing rate has now taken on somewhat of a human pace. By the time his cells are back in order, his injuries will be irreparable."

Everyone casted Sesshomaru a grim look; Izayoi wrung her hands nervously. Kagura was giving her husband's hand the death grip.

"So, what are his injuries?"

The doctor flipped through his chart, and pushed his thick fames higher on his nose. He was silent for a moment as he reviewed the paper's contents. Finally, he looked up with a not-too-hopeful frown.

"Mr. Takahashi sustained some minor head injuries, but they are not threatening. The most damage was done to his legs; to be honest it was a miracle there was no need for amputation—"

Izayoi gasped loudly, and buried her face into her husband's shirt. Inutaisho kept steady eye contact with the doctor, though anyone could feel the waves of worry that radiated from him. Inuyasha, wanting to hear no more, got up and walked to sit with his elder brother on the other side of the bed where Kagura was.

"If he were human he would have no chance of ever using them again. However, since he is not, there is a 30% chance he will regain sensation in his legs."

Holding his wife tight, Inutaisho cleared his throat and looked over that his sons. Sesshomaru had finally stopped his dull staring, and was now looking, with bleak eyes, at Inuyasha.

"And his chances of walking again?"

"…Lets remember that this situation is very precario—"

"Will he be able to walk again?"

Dr. Kosh pushed his glasses back up, and dragged a hand through his salt and pepper hair.

"From a medical viewpoint and as my expert opinion, with only a 6% chance of regaining enough sense and nerve feeling in both of his legs to walk again, I would have to say that I very much doubt it. His prospects are slim. The most that can be hoped for is the return of some feeling, and even that is a stretch."

Izayoi wiped her wet face with a tissue, and grasped Sesshomaru's hand from where she stood near his bed. No one talked. Eventually, Dr. Kosh excused himself.

"Sesshomaru, I'm so sorry…"

Izayoi smoothed back his hair and offered him a sorrowful look when he made eye contact with her.

"It is not your fault. I will bear the responsibility alone."

Inuyasha growled, earning everyone's attention.

"It's not like you to even drink, Sess. So tell us who the fuck did this to you, because you aren't responsible for it!"

Inutaisho narrowed his eyes, and approached his son's bed slowly; a look of suspicion sparked in his wise eyes.

"What happened, Sesshomaru?"

Everyone settled their eyes on the injured man, wondering silently what happened to his common sense. Izayoi squeezed her half-son's hand.

"I cheated."

Izayoi gasped, but the other two men's glares hardened. Inuyasha shook his head solemnly, as if he had known his sister-in-law would cheat all along.

Giving Kagura an emotionless and blank look, Sesshomaru studied her features.

"I found out last night. Needless to say, I reacted somewhat carelessly."

He looked down at his legs, covered with a cheap blanket, and ignored the hand of comfort his brother touched his shoulder with. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to be alone. He was angry inside; the raw emotion threatened to explode from him at any moment. She had dishonored their marriage, yet he was the one who was punished for it.

The tense in the room was intense. No one wanted to speak their mind with the perpetrator standing amongst them. The only proof of the exposed secret was the fires burning in Inuyasha and his step-mother's eyes.

"Son, I will see to it that this is not permanent. You will walk again"

_**V**_

His father's promise took no more than three months to be forgotten. Sesshomaru sat in his wheelchair, looking out the window of his room in eerie silence. He was looking, but he wasn't seeing anything that was going on in the outside world.

He only talked when necessary; that was hardly ever. His days had become repetitious and tedious. He use to find some excitement in meeting with the new physical therapist his family had swore was the one, but that cry for wolf stopped working long ago.

It seemed that every day, he was losing what made him a man. No longer could do the simple things that three months ago would have been child's play for him. Now, even eating was a mission, not to mention showering and dressing.

Worst of all, he had realized that his relationship with Kagura was irreconcilable. As much as he loved her, it was in a different way now. It was no longer a love a man felt for a woman, but one a friend might feel towards another.

She'd come in his room in the morning, as he had changed to a guest room on the first floor, and offer him breakfast. Then she'd help him shower and dress before asking him what he's like to do today. In the beginning, her smiles were genuine and full of hope and love. She'd read to him, or insist that they play a game and watch movies together.

Her efforts on reigniting the flames of this marriage were not missed, just unwanted. The more he pushed her away, the more it was evident that her attempts were wasted. At first, Sesshomaru had tried. He wanted to overlook what it was that was holding him back, but it never happened. He was stuck in a whirlwind of emotions that came from various aspects of his now chaotic life.

The last thing that he wanted was to open up another vulnerable spot for Kagura. So, slowly, her bright smiles died out into a sad thin line of lips that attempted a small reassuring smile. He only watched over the months as yet another part of his once so perfect life blew away in the breeze.

Behind him, the door opened to his room. Soft footsteps against the floor were heard, and soon there was the presence of another behind him.

"Sesshomaru, I know that you said you don't want to see another doctor, but I really think I found someone who can help."

Under any other circumstance, Sesshomaru would have blown her off. Yet the audible excitement in her voice had him craning his neck to look at her. For the first time in a long time, Kagura had that glint of hope in her strong gaze. Softly, she brushed away a few strands of his hair.

"Please, Maru? I promise if she isn't it I'll stop looking. Just this last time."

She had called him by her old affectionate pet name. Before he could process what he really wanted to do, his lips were already forming words.

"Who is she?"

Clapping her hands together and uttering a little success laugh, his wife smiled ear to ear at him.

"Her name is Dr. Kato, Rin. She practices in the States."

**Review please, hoped you like it. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I was rereading the first two chapters and I literally wanted to kick myself in the face every time I found an error. Like, there were so many mistakes I can't believe no one complained. Or maybe you guys did… can't remember haha. But I know this is long anticipated, the third chapter of Heart Therapy. Hopefully (crosses fingers) I can start putting out chapters at least once a week. I think I'm shooting for Monday to be my update all stories day. Idk. We'll see. Also I realyyyyyy need a beta. K. Enjoy.- AF**

"I think you'll like her Sesshomaru. She's this sweet women how lives in California, and she has her own practice. I've read that she has won a dozen awards for her physical rehabilitation program that she created herself. She's pretty young though, but I feel really confident in this one."

Kagura smiled at him, but Sesshomaru would not let her endless rants deposit any hope into his heart. He predicted that they would meet the women, discover she was not as good as she portrayed, and be on a flight back to Japan no later than tomorrow.

Failure no longer affected him; that was his life now. Warm fingers wrapped around his hand and squeezed softly. Kagura's eyes told him she was reading him clearly.

_Trust me. _

Her eyes screamed that to him, pleading, begging for him to place even the smallest sapling of trust back in her. Sesshomaru looked away, unable to handle both his pain and hers both at once. She didn't say anything, but her hand stayed on his until they landed in Geyserville, California.

Geyserville was a quint place that sprawled with plush country side and green mountains. As their taxi rolled leisurely down the streets of the town, Sesshomaru could not help but to admire the scenery that unfolded before him.

A number of people, human and demon alike, walked casually down the walkways; some pulled dogs on leashes, others carried a cup of coffee in their hands. All of them wore a pleasant smile though, and after a while Sesshomaru could not stand to observe their happiness any further.

"Dr. Kato's home is just up this way."

Kagura patted Sesshomaru's leg; a normal gesture for normal people. She realized too late, but still snatched her hand away and then after a few moments of consideration, flashed him an apologetic smile.

He ignored her, and watched as the cab climbed a gravel path that was fully encased with trees and flowers. Eventually, the path widened, and a grand house came into view. Maybe not as big as his, but Sesshomaru could appreciate the country-esq style to the home. The cab pulled up next to a fountain that stood in the center of the driveway circle.

The driver got out first, running around back to retrieve Sesshomaru's wheelchair. He waited for a few moments until his door was opened, and allowed the man and Kagura to help him into the chair. He didn't wait for them to grab all of the bags however before he wheeled his self over to where the handicap ramp was. Kagura called out for him to wait, and after briefly glancing in her direction, he decided not to. The door was slightly ajar. Sesshomaru effortlessly pushed it open with one hand, and pushed his self onto the oriental carpet of the hall. The hall was dim and uninhabited.

Every inch of the wall was noticeably decorated in paintings and wall ornaments, and Sesshomaru got the impression that Dr. Kato enjoyed the artistic things in life. The first door that came up was on the left. A quick test of the knob revealed that it was locked however. He moved on, stopping only to take in the orderly foyer, and then moving on to a big open door way to the right.

This room must have been the dining room. A long and shiny mahogany table that could have seated at least twenty stood grandly in the center, and lush looking chairs bordered it complimentary. To the right was a huge four paned window that showed the beautiful county side of Geyserville; the yard next door was home to a few cows and chickens.

"You must be Sesshomaru."

The soft voice came from behind him, and Sesshomaru experienced the uneasy feeling of deja vu. He slowly turned his chair around, and amber eyes met brilliant doe brown ones. Dr. Kato was a small woman; if he stood she would probably come no higher than his chin. She had a small heart shaped face that was framed by big dark curls that fell to her shoulders.

_So familiar… _

"I'm so sorry Dr. Kato, I told him to wait for me, but you know men."

Kagura gave him a look before turning to offer her hand to the doctor. Dr. Kato smiled and shook Kagura's hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry about it. If you two would follow me to my office, we'll get started. "

She turned around and walked back into the foyer; each step was met with a sharp tap from her heels. Kagura, much to Sesshomaru's displeasure, got behind and pushed him after the doctor. They walked back down the hall they had come, stopping at the door that Sesshomaru had tried earlier.

Dr. Kato pulled out a key ring from one of the pockets of her long white jacket, and took her time locating the correct key to unlock the door. She opened the door and stepped back, allowing the couple to enter before her.

Her office was bright and spacy. Her oak desk was neat and orderly, and behind it was a large wall of books; each bind held the name of a medical related topic. The door shut behind them, and Sesshomaru watched the soft sway of the doctor's hips as she circled the desk and took a seat in her chair.

She gestured to the chairs opposite her.

"Please, sit down."

Kagura smiled and obliged.

"I'm already seated."

He ignored Kagura's whispered warning; instead he watched Dr. Kato as she looked up from the manila file she was reading.

"My name is Dr. Kato as you may already know, but please, call me Rin. I understand, Mr. Takahashi, that you were involved in a motor vehicle accident some months ago that caused damage to the nerves in your legs. Is that correct?"

Sesshomaru studied her face closely, hoping to identify why this woman was so familiar to his mind.

"I believe that is why I am here."

Rin didn't go for the bait; instead, she smiled and set the file in her hand down.

"Your correct, Mr. Takahashi. You're here for a reason and one reason only; to walk again. I can do that. I've helped dozens of individuals in circumstances far more serious than yours, and today they are leading happy lives with their families and friends. How did I do this? How did a 28 year old women manage to accomplish these near impossible feats? "

She narrowed her eyes, and leaned in closer over her desk.

"Simple. I told my patients to do something, and they did it. No questions, no smartass comments, nothing. Do you understand me, Mr. Takahashi?"

She was giving him that sugar sweet smile again. Sesshomaru, stunned by her calm yet chastising lecture, could only dumbly nod.

"Excellent. So let's try that first question again."

A glance at Kagura revealed how she was biting her lip to contain her laughter.

"I was drunk, and I crashed into a tree. After surgery, I was told I had mass nerve damage in both my legs, and that walking would be next to impossible."

Rin nodded, scribbling something down onto a legal pad.

"Do you still drink?"

"Occasionally."

"Would you consider yourself an alcoholic?"

"No."

"Okay."

More scribbles.

"Do you smoke Mr. Takahashi?"

"No."

"Mrs. Takahashi?"

"No mam."

"Any prior injuries or conditions Mr. Takahashi?"

"None."

"Were you intimate recently?"

There was a slight pause. Sesshomaru cleared his throat.

"Not recently."

"Last time then?"

Kagura shifted awkwardly in her seat.

"Um, what's the relevance?"

Rin, annoyed, clicked her pin several times.

"Mr. Takahashi?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps a month before the accident."

Rin started flipping through her paperwork.

"And that accident was about three months ago correct?"

A nod.

"So you're saying it's been around four since you and your wife were intimate, correct?"

"That's accurate."

"How is your relationship with your wife now?"

Kagura was visibly bothered by the questions, but she said nothing. Rin was looking at Sesshomaru expectantly, and he returned her gaze steadily.

"Strained."

"What about before the accident?"

"Stressful but functional."

Beside him Kagura flinched.

"Any trauma within the last year, physical or emotion, besides the accident?"

"What do you mean?"

"For instance a death in the family, a separate accident, anything like that."

"My wife stepped outside our marriage. Besides that, nothing."

Rin paused, and thoughtfully took in the tense couple in front of her. Her hand absentmindedly bounced her pen.

"The reason I'm asking so many personal questions is to identify where you are, emotionally and physically. I know your physical condition, but these questions are designed for me to identify any non-physical issues. It is important for me to know you all around so that I can put together the most effective treatment and rehabilitation plan."

"But how does ones emotional state affect the healing of their body?"

Dr. Kato resumed her notes, not bothering to look up to address Kagura.

"Sometimes, a poor emotional state can be counterproductive to the healing processes. This is what makes me so successful and why patients come to me when all other medicinal methods have failed. For example, Sesshomaru's body could be, for lack of a better word, distracted from healing by the emotion that he has from your adultery. That's just a theory, however. I will have a clearer idea after treatment starts."

Kagura, shaken by Rin's early diagnoses, excused herself from the room to use the bathroom.

They went on for a few more questions, all of which Sesshomaru answered, before Rin was satisfied with what she had. As she was organizing her notes Kagura slipped back into her seat.

"Okay. I've reviewed your file, and even though I normally don't start treatment until the fall, I have reason to believe that you have a narrow window of time to recuperate. So I have accepted you into my program to start immediately. Any questions so far?"

Kagura sat up a little straighter in her chair.

"Yes, I have one. Are spouses allowed to stay during the program?"

"Generally, no. I need my patients to place full and complete trust in me and my program. Spouses tend to…be too opinionated and get in the way of my work. However, on the condition that you observe and not comment, you will be permitted to stay. As I said, I typically don't have patients this time of the year so my clinic is currently housing no one."

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow.

"Your patients stay here? In your house?"

Dr. Kato nodded, and brushed a curl behind her ear.

"Yes, patients respond better in a friendly and non-hospital like environment. Sharing my home with my work not only builds trust, but it also helps to relax. Now, if there are no more questions I'd like to have you two sign some paperwork. If you two would follow me into this room over here, I will supply you with the necessary documents."

The group moved to a room that was connected to Dr. Kato's office with a door. It was a simple room with a normal sized table and chairs. She left the papers on desk for them to look over, and then excused herself.

Kagura was the first to speak.

"What do you think? If you don't want to do this you don't have to Maru. It's entirely up to you."

Silence fell over the couple; the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock on the far wall.

"I'll humor her."

Kagura shrieked, and threw her arms around her husband in a crushing hug. Growling low, Sesshomaru waited until she released him from her death grip to pick up a pen.

He grabbed the papers and hastily signed a perfect signature on each required area.

"You won't regret this, Sesshomaru. Dr. Kato is going to perform a miracle."

Sesshomaru 'Hn'ed, and passed the paper work over.

He was intrigued by Rin Kato, and he didn't know why. Something about her hair just made him want to run his fingers through it; her lips were a perfect picture in his mind. There was even something about her tiny build that made him want to drag her close to him and wrap his arms around the supple curves.

The fact that he was almost instantly won over by her easy smile made him weary. Here sitting beside him was his wife, and no amount of attempts from her part could make him want her body again.

Something about Rin was just… pure.

"Once your back to full health, we could focus on rebuilding our marriage, Maru. What do you think?"

Brought out of his thoughts, Sesshomaru took in his wife's face. She seemed so hopeful, and confident. Unwilling to hurt her, he offered her a small nod. He hadn't expected her to lean over and kiss him. The touch was foreign, and it just felt _wrong_.

She pulled away, an ear to ear smile on her face.

"I love you, Sesshomaru."

He was going to try and make his marriage work. Besides, he knew the old saying.

_Never leave the one you love for the one you like. _

"As I do you, Kagura."

**No! Sesshy, don't do it!... Oh! Hello guys. Don't mind me hehe… Hoped you enjoyed! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**If you haven't already, go check out my new story Extraterrestrial. It's very different. Lol. Also, I know very little about actual PT. My boyfriend is majoring in PT, so my knowledge is based on how many questions I can ask him without annoying him. So I you know something about PT, don't scream at me if it seems wrong to you. Besides, it's about the romance not the actual PT lol. Also, Special thanks to tkplover for editing for me :) She had a lot of awesome ideas to help make this story great! But anyway, here's chapter 4. R&R, enjoy :) -AF**

**Chapter 4-**

"This is your room Mr. Takahashi. Kagura, you will be staying in a different room."

Rin turned the bronze door knob and pushed the door open; she stood aside to let Sesshomaru enter the room.

"We will begin with the program every morning at nine. Breakfast is served at eight in the dining hall. Kagura, when Sesshomaru and I start with the exercises, you are only allowed to observe and nothing further. Okay?"

Kagura's face twisted, but she nodded her understanding.

"I'll show you your room next, Kagura."

The doctor and his wife left then, leaving Sesshomaru to examine his room. It was a nice size surprisingly, with a big bed and a full set of dressers. A door to the far left was left open to show the tile of the bathroom.

His suitcase was lying on the bed.

Sesshomaru furrowed his brow. Was he meant to put his clothes away by himself? What about getting to bed, or changing his clothes?

A soft knock on the door shook him out of his thoughts.

"Come in."

The door opened and Rin slipped into the room. She closed the door behind her before giving Sesshomaru a small smile.

"I've been watching you and Kagura's interaction since you've arrived. I have a feeling that Kagura has been doing even the simplest tasks for you. Am I right?"

Sesshomaru watched her take a seat on the bed.

"She takes it upon herself to devoid me of any personal tasks."

Rin raised an eyebrow, apparently humored by his answer.

"Do you tell her you can do some things on your own?"

He paused, wanting to say yes but knowing the answer was a solid never.

Taking his silence as his answer, Rin crossed her arms, and Sesshomaru felt another chastisement coming.

"You can do everything and anything on your own. It is a mental setback to believe that you need help. Albeit it will take a lot longer than a fully abled person, but you can still complete your own tasks. I want you to start trying. Your choice."

She laughed when her patient glared at her, and gestured him to come near her. When he was close enough, she slid down to the floor and began feeling his legs through the fabric of his pants.

"Does Kagura or anyone massage your legs before bed?"

Sesshomaru shook his head no and watched as the woman moved the legs of his sweat pants up to rest on his thighs.

"Can you feel this?"

Using two fingers, she pressed a little above Sesshomaru's knee.

"Yes."

"Okay. This leg too?"

"Mhmm."

She started with the left leg, grasping it just above the knee and pressing her thumbs into the skin in circular motions. Sesshomaru couldn't help but to close his eyes and relax into his chair.

"I'm going to do this every night to stimulate the damaged nerves. I started up here where you can feel because eventually, as I move down, you're going to be able to still feel it. Does this feel good?"

He nodded, feeling his body for the first time in a long time relax. Her hands were soft yet forceful as her fingers prodded and smoothed his lower thigh. Then she switched legs.

A few moments later her fingers were gone. A loud gasp reached his ears, and that's when he realized he had relaxed perhaps a bit too much. The unmistakable bulge in his lap had Rin blushing furiously.

"I apologize. I can teach Kagura how to do this if yo-"

"No."

Eyes wide with shock, Rin questioned him with a slight tilt of her head.

"Why?"

"She makes me too tense. I can't relax when she touches me."

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Rin raised her hands back to his thigh.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Tell me about your marriage."

Instantly she felt Sesshomaru tense up. She waited patiently; driving her thumbs deeper into the tight muscles until they loosened back up.

"There's not much to say."

Their eyes met then.

"How did you meet her?"

"Or marriage was arranged by my father and her father. My father was retiring shortly at the time and I was in line to pick up his business empire. However, I was not yet married; a condition to inherit his company. We were introduced, and then married not long after."

Sesshomaru sighed, and Rin could see he was lost in deep thought.

"Did you think that you would fall in love with her?"

"No."

He ran a hand through his hair, and his face suddenly looked tired.

"We lived in the same house but had separate living spaces. Gradually we came together. It started with a few dinners, a movie or two, and then we were suddenly spending most of our free time together. I know I am not a very easy person to love, but Kagura didn't stop trying. I eventually learned to love her."

"What did you love about her?"

A small smile curved Sesshomaru's lips.

"I loved her laugh. I did anything just to hear it. But now she doesn't laugh anymore. She tries to smile, but I can see through it. She cheated on me, but it's much more complicated than that."

His doctor raised an eyebrow.

"So you are saying that it isn't the infidelity that is destroying your relationship with your wife?"

He shook his head. The smile had long disappeared.

"That's what it seems like. On the outside she hurt me, and that is what I cling to, to justify my behavior towards her now. However, I know that it was me. I lost her. I worked too much. I left her by herself so many nights."

"What are you saying?"

"She loves someone else now. I know she does. I hate that she stays with me, because I know that she stays out of guilt. I want to tell her to leave, but my jealousy won't let me. So I let her try, and I continue to push her deeper into her guilt."

Silence fell over the two for a moment. After gathering her thoughts, Rin took one of his hands and squeezed it.

"Thank you for being honest with yourself. I know you're not ready now, but eventually I know that you will become strong enough to face your fear and confront Kagura.

She rolled his pants back down, and stood up. Tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket, she gestured to his little… problem.

"There are some magazines in the bathroom at the bottom of the stack. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast."

-X-

Not only was it complete hell getting out of bed the next morning, but taking a shower proved to be a nightmare. He finally settled on a bath, and an hour later, he found himself glaring at his image in the mirror.

He was so used to Kagura untangling his hair every morning that a brush felt foreign in his hand now. His hair was currently a knotty tangled mess. Picking up a comb he set to work, only becoming satisfied when it almost resembled Kagura's work.

He checked his watch and decided it was time to go get breakfast. Today was the first time in months he had ever felt anything aside from depression. He felt a little empowered, even eager to start his program. Rin's encouragement was already doing wonders on his attitude and demeanor.

When he entered the dining hall, Rin and Kagura were already there conversing. Both looked up when he approached. Kagura smiled brightly, but he was more interested in Rin's appearance.

She had tossed aside the white lab jacket this morning, instead trading it for a purple tank top and sweat pants. Heels were forgotten for a pair of comfortable looking slippers. Her hair was in a messy bun, but a few stray curls still tickled the side of her face.

She offered him a friendly smile.

Kagura waved her hand and patted the seat beside her.

"Hun, come sit next to me so you can eat."

A hot plate of food next to her overrode his temptation to ignore her and he found himself beside Kagura. He accepted the kiss she placed on his cheek.

"How was your morning Sesshomaru?"

He looked up at his doctor, pleased that she had dropped the formal Mr. Takahashi.

"I managed."

Rin raised an eyebrow, and took a small bite of her eggs.

"Let's take one day at a time."

Sesshomaru was about to respond when Kagura cut him off.

"So Rin, are you married?"

Smiling politely, Rin wiggled her bare ring finger.

Kagura cocked her head in an effort to appear surprised.

"Why wouldn't a successful and pretty doctor such as you be married?"

Sesshomaru focused his eyes on his plate, and listened intently. The question had been floating around his head for quite a while now.

"It's none of your concern."

Even Sesshomaru looked up to access Rin's face; her answer, short and a bit snappish, ignited a deep seeded curiosity within him. Whatever she was hiding, it was still very fresh to have pulled such an agitated response from the usually all-smiles doctor.

Kagura was caught off guard by the outburst too. She blinked repeatedly and opened her mouth to utter a quiet apology. Rin, now visibly embarrassed, cleared her throat.

"Please excuse me."

She pushed her plate away before standing, and briskly exited the room.

"I get the feeling that she doesn't like me."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his wife; instead he pushed his plate aside and began to leave the room.

"Sess? Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." He lied.

"Do you need help?"

"No."

"Okay then sweetie."

He wheeled himself down the hall in the direction Rin headed. Her room was down the hall from his. The door was slightly ajar. He raised his hand to knock, but then his eyes caught a form moving.

His hand lowered, and his heart rate increased ever so slightly. There was his doctor, a baby blue towel wrapped around her dripping body as she perched herself on the edge of her bed. She sat there for a moment; silent tears were slowly rolling down her rosy cheeks.

He was at a loss for what to do. He also couldn't understand how it was that this woman that he just met was already knocking on the chained doors to his heart. He decided it was nothing more but male instinct; powerful males such as his self constantly felt the need to comfort weaker women in an action that asserted not only their dominance but also their value.

However, Sesshomaru knew better than to give into the calling. His attempt to calm would be mistaken for lechery. Still, he wondered why she cried. Could there be someone else?

He quietly closed the door fully, and returned to the dining hall. Kagura looked at him as if she knew where he had really gone, but didn't comment. They sat there for thirty minutes; the silence only broke when Dr. Kato reentered the room.

She was now dressed in another lab jacket, and her curls were back to neat perfection.

"Shall we begin?"

They followed her to another room that reminded Sesshomaru of a gym; the only difference was that the floor was covered with plush carpet.

"This is the room where we will be spending most of the program. We're going to start off by stretching. Can you get out of your chair by yourself?"

Kagura moved to assist him, but Rin stopped her with a glare.

"You are here to observe only."

She nodded and stepped back.

Sesshomaru, unperturbed by the critical gazes of his female companion, set to work lowering his body to the floor. It was tricky, as getting out of a chair without the use of your legs would be, but he relished in the new sense of self-dependency.

Rin smiled her approval. She seated herself across from him, and leaned forward to push his legs outward. Then she did the same with her own legs.

"Grab my hands, we're going to go back and forth, you pull first and then I pull you. Okay?"

Nodding, Sesshomaru leaned his back backwards; stretching Rin's little body forward towards him. He was careful to not pull too hard. She laughed.

"Sesshomaru you can pull harder than that."

He didn't fight the small smile that curved his lips as he tugged a _little_ harder. Still smiling, she began to straightening up before moving backwards and pulling him forward.

"This stretch focuses more on the underside of your thigh. Can you feel anything?"

"Some pressure, but nothing usually associated with stretching."

"That fact that you feel anything at all is very good. It means we're not too late."

They went back and forth a few more times before changing. She took him through a few more leg stretches and some none leg stretches before introducing the first activity.

"Your leg muscles are very weak from none use. What happens first is I rehabilitate the damaged nerves. Nerves are important because they react to muscle movement, pressure, pain; it's how you walk and walk properly."

Sesshomaru nodded.

"How are nerves fixed?"

"Stimulation. Because you aren't human, your nerves can be reawakened by just simple stimulation every day. Once awakened, they start to repair their selves."

"How long will this take?"

Rin shook her head.

"I do not want you to focus on time. It'll make you anxious to see results, and that anxiety will only make this process longer. Instead, focus on the things that make you feel good."

He thought for a moment. Were there still things that made him feel… _good_?

He thought for moment, trying in vain to pull a warm memory from his failing marriage.

"What we're going to do today is a simple exercise. Your body has forgotten you have lower extremities. So we're going to make their presence known."

She got up and walked across the room, retrieving what looked like a hard cast.

"I'm going to put this around your legs and adjust it to fit very tightly so that your knees don't buckle. You're going to stand for about two minutes like this, okay?

_Stand?_

This would be the first time since his accident that his legs would be supporting him up. His heart was thumping hard against his rib cage. A sliver of doubt crossed his mind; now he was sure he would topple over.

Someone took his hand and squeezed it. It was Rin's warm face that he saw when he looked forward.

"I've got you; I'm not going to let you fall okay? I promise."

Her voice was so sure and matter-of-fact that all of his doubts blew away. He looked at her, surprise more than likely evident on his face, and nodded. She put his legs in the cast, and strapped the Velcro as tight as possible.

"Kagura can you help me stand him up?"

She nodded and jumped forward, appearing eager to be of some sort of use.

Sesshomaru watched her from the corner of his eyes. Her behavior, obedient and willing to help, was normal. To him, this submissive side that he had gotten to know since the accident was only further proof of her faded love for him as a husband. She was here by unwritten obligation.

Rin, with one arm over her shoulder, waited for Kagura to do the same before they simultaneously hoisted the man to his feet for the first time in months.

He could have been dreaming. Being able to look down and not see his knees and thighs in their accustomed bent positions sent an unconceivable bout of raw excitement through his body. That excitement, however, quickly turned to fear. Paying little attention to the women, he was only just now noticing the Kagura had let him go, and Rin was starting to withdraw as well.

Unconsciously, he grabbed her hand tightly; he didn't want her to leave him lest he fail.

"Sesshomaru, what did I promise you?"

He didn't say anything, trying to come to grip with his resistance to allow the word trust even back into his vocabulary.

"What's on your mind Sesshomaru."

He glanced at Kagura. She was standing a good distance away, watching everything.

"What's more important? Hurting her feelings or you walking again? I want to know what you're thinking; no more holding anything in."

Sesshomaru looked back at Rin; her brown eyes were watching, waiting.

"I don't believe your promise."

"Tell me why?"

"If I believe you, and trust you, and you let me fall, I'll hate you. I don't want hate you."

Rin used her thumb to rub little circles on the hand that tightly gripped her own."

"You were let down by someone you placed your trust in."

He nodded, refusing to meet her eyes.

"And you loved this person?"

_God, yes. He had loved her with his entire being._

"Yes."

Silent tears were rolling down Kagura's cheeks. Her fiery eyes were wide as if she had no clue as to what he was referring to.

"Sometimes, Sesshomaru, people make mistak—."

"There was no mistake about it. She knew exactly what she was doing; she didn't care."

"Where were you Sesshomaru? How many nights did you leave me home to be alone? You can't keep blaming me for something you had a part in!"

There was a long paused then. The only sounds in the room were Kagura's sniffs.

Rin walked across the room to retrieve a box of tissues. With a sympathetic look, she handed a few to Kagura. The woman accepted them graciously, and refused to meet Sesshomaru's eyes as she dabbed her own.

Rin signed. "Kagura cares. I care, Sesshomaru. I cared that night in the bar, and I care now. But that will only go so far; you have to trust me. You have to trust that I won't let you _fall_."

His eyes widened, and he stared deep into Rin's eyes; the very same eyes he stared into that dark night.

_"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. But you know, things happen. You shouldn't do things to spite her, like drink yourself stupid."_

"I wish… I had done something more that night. If I wasn't for me you wouldn't have left. You wouldn't have…"

Her voice broke, and she used her free hand to feverishly wipe her moist cheeks.

_She blames herself._

He finally released her hand. With two hands he lifted her face upward, using the pads of his thumbs to wipe her red cheeks.

"Kagura is right."

He dropped one hand to brush his fingers over Kagura's cheek as well.

"Everything that has happened to me is my fault, and no one else's. Is that understood?"

Teary eyed, Rin nodded. Kagura squeezed the hand on her cheek; something about her aura lightened.

"We'll do this together."

Rin beamed at him when those words left his lips.

Kagura, smiling, excused herself and exited the room, mumbling something about the bathroom.

When Rin wiped her face dry, a big grin settled on her face.

"Well congrats. It's been a few minutes, and your standing."

He felt empowered; the act of looking down to see her face gave him an incredible rush of masculinity. He was beginning to remember what it felt like to be a major business tycoon who possessed endless opportunities and an abundance of power.

His emotional state was flying upwards, and responsible was the small woman who stood in front of him, smiling and looking just as excited as he felt.

"When I walk again, the first thing I'm going to do is carry you all over this house."

Her eyes brightened, and she laughed; brilliantly white teeth captured his eyes.

He wasn't worried or frightened by his sudden want to kiss her. Rin was causing so many firsts for him that his growing urges to test the smoothness of her fair skin and want to examine the curves of her body didn't strike him as something he should fight.

Yet somehow the smallest bit of logic was still hanging on. He thought of Kagura. His want to continue their relationship was diminishing. In any other circumstance this would have been fine. However the possibility that he wanted to end things with Kagura just to read more into his attraction with a woman he scarcely knew kept him at bay.

He knew that he had to confront her and question her true feelings, but her possible response scared him. He was stuck between letting what was comfortable go and pursuing something new yet potentially dangerous.

Rin, in a matter of hours, had knocked down all of his barriers.

"Sesshomaru?"

Bringing himself out of his confusing thoughts, Sesshomaru gazed down at his doctor.

"Shall we continue?"

He smiled, and leaned down slightly to boldly place a kiss on her cheek. Her heart started to beat faster, and he could smell a spike in her body heat.

"Of course."

Maybe he would watch and see where this went.

**^.^ Hoped you enjoyed ;) Until next time**


	5. Chapter 5

**Aloha! Okay warning. There is really a dumb amount of personal reflection in this chappy. Necessary? Yes. Enjoyable? Eh. I sure hope you're not bored to tears. However it's necessary because the second part of the story is about to begin. I'm sure yawl can take a good guess of what's going to be going on ;). Yay. Enjoy! :)-AF **

Chapter 5-

In the three months Sesshomaru spent at his doctor's home, he felt a new life begin to map itself out. He used to believe that if he could ever start walking again, his life would return to normal. He had even daydreamed about the moment when he would forgive Kagura and even apologize for his shortcomings.

Around Rin, he began to see things as they were, rather than how he wished them to be. The truth of the matter was that his disability was what was keeping the remnants of his old life together. Was Kagura there with him solely out of some kind of obligation or guilt? Either way, his completed rehabilitation would beg the question that was constantly being overlooked: when were the divorce papers going to be signed?

Kagura was aware of the situation. How could she not be? She had to know that each milestone in his treatment brought closer an inevitable ending. Truthfully, Sesshomaru use to be terrified of this. He had literally lived for Kagura the last five years of his life, and before that it had been a lonely existence.

He didn't want to go back to that. His marriage to Kagura, no matter how damaged and irreconcilable, meant more to his sanity than his rehabilitation. He was torn. Not to mention he was certain Kagura had a secret love interest. Something that started before her infidelity and grew during the few months they spent lying to each other.

He wasn't sure who he was, but it was most likely not the cowardly piece of shit he found her with. Nevertheless, Sesshomaru was now coming to terms with the fact that he would, again, be by himself. He found it the highest display of irony. How did a man who used to care about nothing and no one become so dependent on a significant other?

Alas, there was no use fighting it. He was changed and changed was what he would remain. However, even though he felt the impending doom of being single, he also felt anxious when picturing himself with someone else. It was yet another deadlock in his emotions and thoughts.

"Sesshomaru?"

Then there was Rin. Sweet and wonderful Rin. A very talented doctor who, in a few short months, was able to ease the pain of his problems and make him want to smile again. Her smile was there, day after day, even when he found himself in a nasty mood. She would still smile at him, and treat him as if he was showing her the same high level of respect.

He sometimes found himself needing her sunny voice for motivation to go to therapy or do anything else for that matter. Truth be told, that scared him too. He wanted to have someone, but he also wanted to protect his heart from further damage.

He didn't care that he was moping. Sometime during this month, seeing Rin became not enough. He needed something to move forward.

"I'm ready to talk to Kagura."

Her brown eyes watched him carefully, and he was sure she knew what he was referring to without having to explain. Her pen bounced in her hand, and she used her free hand to tuck a curl behind her ear.

"Physically you're doing better than exceptional. Emotionally, however, I see you struggling. You're taking on too many problems. While I can listen, I cannot suggest or guide you to your decisions. I need you to make a decision based off of you, and not on foreign ideas or thoughts. So, if you believe that there is something that you need to do, do it."

Sesshomaru studied the shape of every curl on her head. He found himself doing that often whenever he was in deep thought.

Rin slid her hand across her desk and cupped Sesshomaru's hand. She smiled warmly and her eyes were wide with pride.

"Sesshomaru. What happened to you in the last five months was very extreme, for lack of a better word. I want you to know that you are doing a fantastic job keeping it together, because it is a miracle you didn't have a nervous breakdown. Continue to take your time, okay? Even the right decision can be wrong if timed incorrectly."

He nodded, suddenly feeling very tired.

"Also, Sesshomaru?"

Rin glanced away, and started clicking her pen; a sign of either annoyance or high hesitation. Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, interested in what she was going to say.

"After this, when you're better and you walk out of here, it doesn't have to end there. Whatever decision you make with your marriage, you will always be able to call me. Okay?"

Instead of waiting for his reply, she muttered something about making a few phone calls and left the office.

He contemplated what she had said. A relationship beyond the clinic. He thought back to the beginning and how attracted to her he had been. Not had been, still is. However days and days of PT and counseling showed him that perhaps he was reaching out for Rin to hurt Kagura.

So he stopped all advances. He couldn't even think of Rin in a way other than his doctor until he knew for sure what he and Kagura where going to agree to. He would not hurt another person for the sake of his possible revenge complex; and who's to say Dr. Kato would even consider him anyway?

He left the office and made his way slowly towards Kagura's room, wondering what to say. Instead of rehearsing it, he pushed it to the back of his mind. He didn't want to overcomplicate it.

He stared at the wooden door to her room for a long time before gathering the resolve to knock. She opened up on the third knock, and with one glance at his face, stepped to the side. He entered her room, and waited patiently while she closed the door and perched herself on the edge of her bed.

She smiled, though there was a touch of sadness there too.

"That wheelchair will be pretty lonely soon. I don't know what I'm going to go when that day comes."

She rubbed her arm and Sesshomaru thought for a moment that she would start to cry.

"Sesshomaru, I know you've been thinking. You know, about our marriage."

She sighed, and Sesshomaru felt strangely relieved that he didn't have to speak yet.

"I think we both know that this accident has kept us together."

He saw the pain in her face, and heard her broken words as they came out chocked.

"What will we be when you take that first step, Maru? It's like I pray every day to see you stand, and yet I selfishly almost want Dr. Kato to fail. I know I'm wrong. I just… cannot fathom life without you."

Sesshomaru ignored the pang in his heart. He came here for closure. He repeated it several times in his head. It was time to end this.

"Kagura."

She gazed at him with a wild look in her eyes. It was like that of a child who lost their parent's hand in a busy mall.

"This is painful for both of us. However, we're pulling a band aid slowly off of a sore wound. We're torturing ourselves. We'd rather hang onto a failed relationship than put ourselves around new circumstances. The fact of the matter is we both can't do this anymore. You know this. We've hidden behind my accident, but now that's gone. Now, we have no choice but to deal with a problem that created itself way before I got into the driver's seat. The truth we have avoided is very apparent now."

She was nodding as tears streaked down her face.

"You mean divorce."

The word was so _deafening_.

Sesshomaru nodded.

"We can't start to heal until we've done this. The what if's, the maybes, the hope… it's done, Kagura. I can accept that."

She wiped her face and sniffled; it wasn't long before more tears wet her face once more. In a split second she went from being a broken hearted wife to belligerency. The sudden fire in her eyes and scowl on her lips had Sesshomaru believing his wife had been possessed.

"How dare you! I've faithfully been with you this entire accident, waiting on you and caring for you when there was no one else around! You ungrateful bastard!"

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru leveled her with a venomous glare.

"Watch who you speak to, Kagura. That is my decision, and it's final. Consider us done."

She stared at him with horror etched into her features and tears streaming from her eyes. She screamed, and wrapped her fingers around a small table sculpture before hurling it at the wall. It hardly did any damage, but then it fell on the glass night stand underneath and shattered the surface.

A distinct click of heels could be heard moving towards them, and Rin was soon stepping into the room. She looked at the table, then at Kagura. Her normally sunny features were twisted with anger.

"You have to leave. You are no longer permitted to stay here."

Kagura, now appearing more distraught then angry, broke down into heavy sobs. She grabbed her purse and turned her teary gaze to her husband.

"You'll get what you deserve."

Before Sesshomaru could say a word, she pushed past Rin and disappeared into the hall.

Rin's dark facade fell then, and she quickly crouched down in front of Sesshomaru. Her hands held either side of his face firmly as she checked him for any harms. Sesshomaru smirked, humored by her display of concern over a grown man.

"Are you alright? Did she hurt you in anyway?"

When he shook his head she got up and looked around the room. The poor table was shattered beyond repair.

"…you don't have to tell me wha-"

"I told her I wanted a divorce."

Rin turned back to face him; her brown eyes were wide with surprise.

"Divorce?"

He nodded, running a hand through his already perfect hair.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He could hear the shock in her voice. It was clear she hadn't expected him to end his marriage, and Sesshomaru wanted to know why.

"Are you surprised?"

His doctor smiled faintly, and took a seat on the bed. She had a faraway look in her eyes.

"Not surprised. I just… it hurts me when I see marriages fail after so long. I don't know, maybe I thought I…"

She trailed off as she intently studied her hand. Sesshomaru realized she was looking at her ring finger.

"You can't set it upon yourself to fix a failing marriage. Kagura knew as well as I knew it was over. We just didn't want to admit it."

Rin nodded, but there was still a touch of sadness in her eyes.

"I want to talk."

She perked up then, and smoothed out her lab coat.

"Okay, do you want to talk about Kagura?"

Sesshomaru frowned. Seeing his dismissive expression, his doctor questioned him with her eyes.

"I want to talk about your marriage."

At first Rin said nothing. She stiffened, opened her mouth to speak, but then decided against it. After a while, a weary smile graced her lips.

"Alright. I was 23, and just accepted into my PhD program when I met him. His name was Sam. He was in the program as well."

Sesshomaru watched as she smiled faintly, no doubt reminiscing.

"He was so sweet. He would bring me flowers at school and he would call me every night to wish me sweet dreams. He would always know when I was down and he always knew what to do to make me smile again."

She sighed heavily; something Sesshomaru was not used to seeing his usually cheery doctor do.

"You married him."

She nodded, reaching in her pocket for what Sesshomaru knew to be a pen. When her hand reemerged empty, he assumed she must have left her favorite pen elsewhere. She had such odd nervous habits for a doctor.

"It didn't last."

He saw in her eyes that she wanted to leave it at that, and against his curiosity, he respected that request.

"You're in luck. I have a thing for divorced women."

His attempt to lighten the mood made her laugh. She stood and finally gave him a genuine smile.

"Are you hitting on me, Mr. Takahashi?"

Sesshomaru smirked, and allowed her to take control of his wheelchair as they left the room.

"The doctor patient thing would be pretty hot."

She laughed again, and patted him on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't make me report you."

Even Sesshomaru couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. He leaned back into his chair and sneaked a glance up at the woman pushing his wheelchair. A feeling of content settled within him as he traced her amused smile with his eyes.

She caught him looking and gave him a playful wink.

"You're something else, doc."

-X-

There was something eerily majestic about divorce. On the one hand it was a dreaded and sorrowful process but on the other it was liberating.

He and Kagura were _finally_ getting a divorce. He chuckled, wondering how many nights he had gone restless because he was fretting about ending his relationship with Kagura. He pictured himself depressed, cold, and unwilling to participate in life.

However, what he didn't comprehend was the fact that their marriage had truly ended a long time ago. Divorce was a court procedure; a piece of paper didn't have the power to end relationships.

Fear of the unknown kept him at bay. Now, he couldn't help but laugh. He could only imagine how painstakingly obvious their situation seemed on the outside to others. His emotions, for the first time in months, were in check.

Sesshomaru sighed. One moment all of his problems were ganging up, and now he actually felt optimistic. He couldn't wait to get back into the office. He would buy a new, much smaller, home and when he was ready he'd perhaps date again.

Suddenly, losing Kagura wasn't the end of his world. In contrary, it was the beginning of a much clearer one.

Kagura, to everyone's surprise, did not take him wanting a divorce very well. After leaving the clinic in a state of frenzy, she refused to sign the papers, regardless of everything he had said to her. It baffled him to no end. What was she holding on to?

His lawyer was currently trying to contact Kagura, who apparently took a flight back to Japan to gather her belongings. Sesshomaru's lawyer advised him to be weary because she was unstable. So he called his father and asked him to keep an eye out for Kagura at his home.

A soft knock brought Sesshomaru back into his room. He wheeled himself over to the door, knowing before he opened it that it was Dr. Kato. His doctor smiled warmly at him.

"I'm sorry to bother you so early Sesshomaru. I have slight headache and I want to go to bed early tonight. So I'm doing your legs now. Is that okay?"

Sesshomaru nodded, and watched her as she closed the door and kneeled down in front of him. By now he was very accustom to the nightly leg massages.

"How are you doing Sesshomaru?"

He met her eyes, and then watched as she began rolling up his sweats to expose his legs. Her touch still sent bolts of pleasure down his spine. He watched her hands, admittedly eager to feel the smooth fingers pressing their selves into the tight muscles they sought to relax.

"I'm fine. You, Dr. Kato?"

She smiled and started at her usual spot above his knee. Her fingers held his leg in a solid grip as they moved in small circular motions.

"I'm wonderful, thanks for asking. Anything you want to talk about tonight?"

He relaxed his body; her hands were working their magic on him once again. Eyes closed and head drawn back, he shook his head no. He didn't want to talk about Kagura or even his progress. He just wanted to enjoy the moment. He wanted to look forward to everyday and the day after that.

"Alright. Three months ago, you were only able to feel this…"

She wiggled her fingers over the area just above his knee.

"And now…"

A sharp pain shot out from his left foot, making Sesshomaru jump in surprise and glare at his doctor. She in turn giggled, holding up the safety pin she had used to poke him.

"You have feeling in your entire leg. Both of them."

She warmed her hands down the taunt skin slowly, as if she was relishing every inch.

"Why is it that you won't allow me to try and stand?"

His doctor quirked an eyebrow at him as she finished what she was doing. Slowly and methodically, she rolled his sweatpants back down and then studied the fabric with great interest. Then, without warning, she straightened her back and met his gaze.

"Sesshomaru, I need to be honest with you."

She looked away, but then looked back as a resolve hardened the contours of her face. She regarded him coolly as she stood and withdrew to a further corner of the room. His attention was definitely captured.

"There is a slight… complication, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru remained calm. He took in her words and let them warm up in his head. Complications usually meant setbacks. He could deal with a setback. No worries.

"Go on."

"Up until now I haven't shared with you any plan as to how you were going to walk again. I have led you blindly through your treatment plan with no explanation as to how and why. I do this because I don't want my patients to put their selves on a timed obstacle course. They know where they are in a treatment plan and then they begin sizing up their progress to the model."

She paused, as if to give him time to comprehend what she was saying.

"I've understood this from the beginning. You are in no wrong for conducting your practice the way you see fit."

She nodded, and played with a curl.

"Yes. However, I re-explain this now because I need to show you something. I…"

Rin sighed, clearly distressed with whatever information she had to tell him. He almost didn't want to know. Yet, his curiosity egged him on. She opened the door and gestured down the hall.

"I need to show you something."

They moved down the hall with an odd silence around them. When they reached her office Rin walked over to her desk and removed multiple films from a huge envelope. When she offered him one of them, Sesshomaru noticed her hand was shaking.

"When I first received your case, it seemed like it was pretty cookie cutter. Your nerves were damaged in the accident and the amount of alcohol you consumed stunted your quick recovery. However, as the months progressed, I noticed you were not hitting the milestones I would have like to have seen. You've regained feeling, but the nerves are still damaged. By now your body should have repaired your legs automatically from my therapy. I became suspicious. In your hand is an x-ray image of a demon male's legs."

Rin came around the front of her desk and pointed to the grey spots on the image.

"This is what is considered normal. See how full his tissue and muscle are?"

Sesshomaru nodded, unsure of where she was going with this.

She took the x-ray from his hands and handed him a second image.

"This one is an x-ray from a demon male that was in a very serious accident, just like yours. As you can see, where there are tears in his muscle, skin or tissue, there is a white mark. That is his demonic antibodies working to heal the area, which is normal to see after any type of injury."

She took that one from him, and Sesshomaru reached for the last film. She withheld it, causing him to eye her questionably.

"What is it?"

Rin looked…frightened. There was a touch of sadness in her voice, and it sent chills down his spine. Her eyes met his once more, and he could clearly see something similar to anger. She clenched her jaw, and stiffly handed him the last image.

From first glance it was obvious that something was wrong with this person. There were multiple tears in the muscle and tissue, but there was no white lines signifying the antibodies. Sesshomaru questioned Rin with his eyes.

"Is this a human?"

She shook her head.

"Sesshomaru... this is an x-ray of your legs."

It was as if someone had punched him full force. Everything became deadly silent, and all he could do was stare in disbelief at the image. His head began to ache, and his heart pounded fretfully against his rib cage.

"Sesshomaru, listen to me."

He brought his eyes up slowly to meet hers; her face was completely consumed with anger now. Her cheeks were red and her eyes narrowed in a look of contempt.

"When I made this discovery three weeks ago, I was shocked. While alcohol can suppress these antibodies for a few days depending on the amount consumed, it is not possible for the antibodies to be completely destroyed or removed from the body. I called a few friends of mine in Japan. They reopened your case per my request. I had a feeling that something just didn't add up."

Rin breathed in and exhaled shakily.

Sesshomaru looked at her serious expression and a bubble of dread formed in his stomach. He recalled how close to death he had been when the pulled him from the wreckage.

"I should have died in that accident. Without those antibodies I should have definitely died."

Rin nodded her agreement.

"You're a lucky man, Sesshomaru. There is no medical explanation as to how you didn't die that day. I…I know it sounds crazy but it wasn't an accident. Someone tried to kill you."

Sesshomaru couldn't contain himself. He laughed, effectively shocking Rin into silence. Though it was extremely odd that his healing capabilities were somehow subdued, the notion that someone had tried to kill him seemed a bit farfetched.

"Rin, that entire day was off of my usual schedule. I came home earlier than expected, and that's why I caught Kagura. That's when I decided to drink and drive. Unfortunately, my distraught mind cost me my legs. The idea that someone caused that accident is absol-"

"A second look at your car produced that your power steering fluid line was cut. While you're considerably strong, you were drunk and as you said distraught. You probably didn't even notice your wheel was hard to turn, effectively pulling you to cross those lines. Think about it Sesshomaru."

Glaring at the doctor before him, Sesshomaru cocked his head.

"You're accusing Kagura aren't you?"

She stood and reached for a manila folder. With a quick toss it landed in his lap.

"Go ahead; see it with your own eyes. The drug your wife was slipping into your food and drinks is called Nxoyoglokin. It's used in small amounts to kill off a demon's antibodies while they are in surgery. It enables doctors to cut and operate without the antibodies getting in the way. In large quantities it is capable of killing and damaging the body's natural reserve of these antibodies. It's not permanent nor is it all that damaging in one dose, meaning she had to have been diligently drugging you for a long period of time."

Sesshomaru flipped through the folder in a state of disbelief.

Rin watched him for a moment, allowing the information to sink in.

"So I was being drugged. I'm in contact with scores of people every day. Why Kagura? That also doesn't explain the accident. How could she have cut my line if I caught her cheating for fuck's sake."

Rin shook her head sadly. He wanted to rip that sympathetic look off of her face. She tossed him a smaller envelope that was in her drawer.

Inside was a series of pictures starring Kagura and another man. He was tall with blue eyes and dark hair. Something about him seemed…dark. Sick to his stomach, Sesshomaru threw the pictures to the ground.

"Those were taken last week. His name is Dr. Yamich, and I suspect Kagura was getting the drugs from him."

Silence fell over them. Sesshomaru only stared at the scattered photos that lay haphazardly on the ground. After a moment, he turned to look at Rin. He cleared his throat, and spoke quietly.

"Why kill me? Why would she go through the trouble of killing me when she could have just divorced me?"

Rin glared at him. It was the first time he had ever seen her anger directed at him.

"Dammit Sesshomaru, think! Stop protecting her and see her for who she is! She wants your _money_. Clear and fucking simple. Deny it all you want to, but she tried and almost succeeded in killing you. They drugged you for months to render you completely defenseless against a goddamn cold, and when you didn't die fast enough, she staged you finding her cheating. She's been married to you for five years, Sesshomaru. I'm sure she knows your habits. She knew you'd go out and drink when you caught her. She had her lover follow you, and when you went into the house he sabotage your power steering. It drained as you drove around, and just like they planned your crash. The only thing she didn't count on was you surviving."

Rin went back around her desk and rummaged through her drawer once more. It wasn't long before she lifted a clear baggy holding a small bottle.

"I found this in the things my staff took out of the room she slept in. Sesshomaru, she wasn't with you all this time to save the marriage. She was _still_ drugging you. She knew bringing you here to my clinic would be the best cover up for her. Who would suspect the wife who stayed by her tragically disabled husband's side and even convinced him to seek out the best care possible? If you died here, she would have walked away with your entire net worth and then sued me for malpractice. She had this all planned. When she left screaming that night, it wasn't because she loved you. She knew she had failed once again."

Sesshomaru was at a loss for words. Had he really been that blind as to not see that his wife was trying to _kill_ him? All those nights when he had wrapped his arms around her and placed his head in the warmth of her breasts, she had been drugging him and planning his death.

His mind raced. His pulse quickened and suddenly he was furious. He wanted to rip her head from her precious little neck. He wanted to find that man and skin him alive. He was so lost in his anger that when Rin placed a hand of comfort on his thigh, he almost ripped it off of her body.

She jumped, but immediately replaced her hand. She was set on showing her support, even when he could clearly see the fear in her eyes.

"They are looking for her and the man as we speak, Sesshomaru. Be strong. I've ordered the necessary medicine to fix the damaged reserves in your body. It's over, Sesshomaru. She lost."

Sesshomaru watched, shocked, as Rin's eyes glossed over and as the first tear rolled down her cheek.

"I… I should have been more aware. I should have checked your x-ray sooner. She could have gotten away with hurting you because I overlooked that inconsistency. I'm so sorry, Ses-"

He pressed her to his body and wrapped his arms around her shaking frame. She gasped; the rest of her words fell off of her tongue. When wasn't long when quiet sobs rocked her body, making Sesshomaru hold her even tighter. He smoothed her curls with his hand and whispered in her hair.

"If you hadn't excelled in your career and been such an amazing doctor, Kagura would have never been able to make the mistake of bringing me here to you. You saw what I was too blind to see. You're not just a doctor; you truly care for me and it was that care that led you to uncover the truth. You're a great person Rin, and I owe you my life. Thank you."

-X-

Two weeks later, Kagura and her lover were arrested for attempted murder. Sesshomaru's family was stunned, but grateful that she was revealed for who she really was. His divorce to her was finalized a few days ago; she received a plea bargain from the DA's office in which they would ask for 12 years in prison instead of the maximum sentence if she in return signed the divorce papers without incident.

Twice a day Rin gave him a shot of the medicine that was supposed to counteract the drug Kagura had been slipping him. Every day he regained a bit of strength he hadn't even known he lost. He was also happier.

The turmoil his heart seemed to be under for months was finally subsided. He gave all the credit to Dr. Kato. He knew he wouldn't have been able to reach this point of contentedness without her. Thinking about her brought a smile to his lips.

The better he got, however, the sadder her eyes became whenever she was looking at him. He knew what was weighting heavy on her heart, because it was the same weight that was on his. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye.

Unfortunately for both of them, it was necessary. He had to get back to Japan to handle all of the aftermath of the divorce, and she had to stay here at her clinic. Goodbye was inevitable. Sesshomaru sighed, picturing her sweet smile and melodic voice in his head.

He grasped for comfort in the fact that they would always remain friends. He'd visit her whenever a business trip landed him in the states.

He looked around his room, wondering what she was doing at that very moment. Outside his window the sky was dark and the moon shined brightly.

On his desk was his ticket for his flight tomorrow morning back home. She told him it would probably take another five or six days for his antibodies to be fully restored and for him to be able to walk again.

That was the last conversation he had with her. He recalled how she had looked at him with a strange smile on her face. She said, _**"I'm going to miss you, Sesshomaru. I don't think I've ever really viewed you as just one of my patients."**_

Then she had handed him a small package with his name written in neat handwriting at the top_**. "Don't open it until you're on your plane tomorrow, okay?"**_

Sesshomaru glanced at the package sitting beside the ticket. He wondered what she had given him that she didn't want to see him open. He was tempted to open it, but decided against it.

He tried to fall asleep, but instead he ended up staring at the ceiling of his room for hours. The clock beside him read 12:30am. Sighing, he tossed the covers aside and reached for his wheelchair.

Only he didn't balance himself correctly, and he ended up tumbling off of the bed. Cursing, he braced his self for the impact. The carpet shielded him somewhat from any pain, but he still rubbed his arms in annoyance.

He gripped the bed side, ready to reach for his wheel chair a second time, when it occurred to him that something was different. He paused, and then realized he was resting his arm on his thigh; his left foot was firmly on the carpet, as if he was popping the question to a woman standing before him.

Thrown off by this, Sesshomaru tried to remember when he had moved into this position. It had seemed so natural that he hadn't even thought twice about it when he did it. Heart beating rapidly, he tested the leg. It felt sore, but stable. He rose very slowly; his grip on the mattress was tight and unwavering. He could hardly believe what he was attempting.

He raised the second leg off of the floor and into the same bent position as the other. He rose a little at a time, making sure his legs wouldn't buckle under the pressure. They didn't. The bed no longer being high enough, he found a new support in the wall.

He couldn't believe this was reality. For the first time in almost seven months, he was standing. Albeit shakily, but slowly he straightened his back until he was his full height. He wanted to dance, run, jump…but decided that walking would suffice for now.

His immediate first thought was Rin. He had to go show Rin that he was walking.

Kami he was walking!

Not yet so confident, he followed the wall to his door, and kept his hand on it as he slowly, one foot at a time, shuffled to Rin's room. His legs burned beneath him and he had to take several breaks along the way, but he was determined to make it.

Rin was going to have a heart attack. She would be so shocked she would most likely chastise him for stressing his legs out instead of gradually making them stronger first. He'd worry about that later.

All he cared about was getting to her; he wanted to know what it felt like to look down into her soft eyes; he wanted her to have to stand on her tippy toes to massage behind his ear like she liked to do during PT.

He wanted her to see that he was a man, and he wanted her to feel the intimidation of his height and size.

There was a light peeking out from under her door; it lit up the wall across from her room. He was so excited she was up that he didn't bother to knock. Rin was sitting in her bed, a pen in hand and a book of Sudoku in the other. Her curls were pulled up into a messy bun atop her head, and only a few wispy strands slipped out of that hold. She was wearing a tank top and some very small shorts as she sat there cross-legged.

His intrusion made her jump and drop her book and pen. She stared at him as if he was nuts, and Sesshomaru knew in her state of shock she had half the mind to chastise him about manners. It didn't take long for her to realize that he was actually _standing_ in her room.

Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my…"

Speechless, she slipped out of bed and took a few timid steps closer to him. She could do nothing but gape at him for long seconds, and then she came to her senses.

"Sesshomaru, are you crazy! Sit down! How do your legs feel? Do they hurt at all?"

He was ushered to her bed where she forced him down before she started feeling the muscles in his legs.

"Sesshomaru you haven't walked in a little over half a year, you can't just decide one minuet that you want to get up an…"

Sesshomaru effectively cut her off by grabbing her chin and pressing his lips to hers. She went rigid instantly, but melted into him when his tongue ran the length of her bottom lip. She gasped, and he took the opportunity to enter her mouth.

It wasn't long before her hands slid around his neck and she was moaning into the kiss. He gave one last tug on her lip before breaking the kiss and placing small kisses down her chin. Before she could catch her breath, he lifted her up and planted her back onto her bed before climbing onto of her.

She looked up at him, dazed and out of breath. When he moved to kiss her again she stopped him with a small push against his chest.

"Wait, Sesshomaru. We can't do this. You have a life 12 hours away in Japan and I can't leave my clinic. A relationship like this would never work."

Sesshomaru slid a hand down her hips and pecked her on her nose.

"Then we won't pursue a relationship. Let's just…enjoy this last night."

He dipped his head down into the crook of her neck and placed hot kisses right below her ear. His other hand traveled between them and between her legs; with two fingers he grazed her through the shorts. She moaned, and arched her body upwards so that her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest.

"Tell me to stop, and I will."

Rin shuddered. She knew this was wrong. It would be bad if it got out that she slept with one of her patients, and it would be even worse because it would be with a man only freshly divorced. Yet, she couldn't stop herself from wanting his fingers inside her panties and his lips against hers.

She didn't want the hot breath along her neck to recede, or the strong body above her to withdraw. More importantly, she didn't want Sesshomaru to get on that flight that will forever take him away from her.

She swallowed. She didn't want to refuse the one night of happiness he was offering her.

Her fingers sneaked up and yanked on the t-shirt he was wearing, causing the man above to growl in approval. Boldly, she traced his tight pack with her fingers and let them travel until she was playing with the elastic band of his pants.

An intense heat was building itself between her legs, and it only intensified when she felt his hard appendage pressing against her thigh.

How many times had she fantasized about this?

She hardly had time to finish whispering in his ear before he ripped off her tank top; her breasts bounced free under his red-tainted amber gaze.

"_Don't stop."_

_-End of Part 1-_

**-It may be hard to believe, but the show is definitely not over. Thanks for reading!-Af**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys. Just wanted to say thanks for the rather warm reception back I received for both of my ongoing stories. I really appreciate it. Also, I want to expose those who are interested to one of the sweetest most emotional and touching things I've ever had the pleasure of watching. For those who don't know, there is a video gamer personality on YouTube who goes by the name Cry. His channel name is ChaoticMonki. Go to his channel and watch his play through of **_**To The Moon**_**. If you aren't a sociopath, I guarantee this game will move you. If you already watch Cry and are a huge fan like I am, I would love to know! Lol. Shoot me a pm or drop a fan rave comment in with your review. -AF**

Chapter 6

_ -Part 2- _

_*Two years before the accident*_

_Rin outstretched her arms as a loud yawn shaped her lips. The frigid air around her turned her breath into wispy smoke. Seeing it dissipate before her face made her pull her heavy jacket tighter around her frame. It was the middle of winter, and the temperature was just below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. _

_Still, not even the chilling weather could keep her from venturing outside to her favorite skating rink. She bent down to tighten the laces on her skates, and with a few reassuring tugs she up righted herself. _

_Across the park, a tall clock reminded her why the ice rink was deserted; the time 12:30am glowed in bright red on the huge display. Sighing, Rin stepped onto the rink and begin to glide over the ice. She twirled, and squeezed her eyes shut as she trusted her legs to continue to effortlessly guide her around the rink__._

_She relaxed her body, and held tightly onto the feeling of nostalgia that warmed her chest. Ever since she was a child, she loved to skate. It melted her worries and sadness away, and created a world where she could not be taken out of. _

_She tilted her body forward before gracefully jumping from the ground and landing once more; one of her legs extended behind her as she skated backwards smoothly. Often she imagined she wasn't a young and stressed PhD student__, but a famous ice skater who skated all over the world. She was no longer wearing a jacket and thick tights. Her hands smoothed over her sparkling purple leotard and black tutu, and she quickly tied her hair up so her imagination could transform it into a neatly crafted ponytail with sparking hair accents._

_She performed another jump—this time with a double spin—and in her head she heard the crowd watching her clap ecstatically. The claps were almost real like, and Rin paused to open her eyes. Her fancy attire was gone, and so were the stands filled with her admirers. There was, however, one fan. He stood at the entrance of the rink, smiling and clapping for her. She could feel her heart thudding against her ribcage. At that moment, she didn't know if it was caused from skating or seeing her husband watching her._

_Her breath caught in her throat, and she didn't hesitate a moment before pushed her skates to take her where he stood. When she reached him, he was coughing violently into a napkin. She immediately guided him to a nearby bench, and rubbed his back until the fit passed. _

_He looked up at her and smiled, as if he had not being losing a lung a second before._

"_Sam! What are you doing out here? You should be home resting!"_

_His cold hands touched her cheek then, calming her some. His green eyes shined brightly in the darkness of the rink._

"_I had to see you skate__, just one last time."_

_Rin pressed her hand into his and squeezed it. She was overcome with the want to cry, but she willed herself not to._

"_Sam, when you're better I'll skate for you all day long. This won't be the last time."_

_His smile was soft. He sighed, and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her forehead._

"_Rin."_

_His voice was quiet, and without saying it he was telling her to face reality. _

_She closed her eyes, and shuddered; a cool winter breeze ignited the cold tear trails on her cheeks. She avoided looking into his eyes, where she knew the truth was lying. _

"_Rin, these last four years have been amazing. I have been truly blessed to have been able to spend them with you. You're such a beautiful person. I want you to be like this forever, okay?"_

_She didn't have to look at him to know he was crying now. Her throat constricted when she forced herself to look back. His eyes, those sweet green eyes she had come to love waking up to every morning, were telling her what she refused to believe._

_Choking back tears, she hastily rubbed his moist cheeks with her thumbs. _

"_Don't talk like that Sam. You're going to be here, with me, until we both grow old. You're going to beat this. You're not going to…"_

_The word caught in her throat. She couldn't say it. She cried now; the harsh sobs racked her body as her husband pulled her to him. Despite the cold, he emulated warmth into her. She cried harder. This warmth was supposed to always be there. She griped his jacket when another coughing fit shook his chest. He held on tight to her though, ignoring the tremors._

"_Will you promise me something, Rin?"_

_She hesitated for a second, dreading what he would say next. Her heart throbbed painfully, but she nodded._

"_I want you to move on, after I'm gone. I want you to find someone who's going to make you happy for the rest of your life. Can you promise me that?"_

_Pushing him away to look up, Rin shook her head vigorously._

"_I can't Sam, I—"_

"_Please, promise me."_

_He held out his pinky finger, waiting, eyes pleading. _

_She stared at it, remembering when he had made her promise to marry him four years back on the same finger._

_She wanted to die with him. She could hardly imagine a life if Sam wasn't there with her. He had always been there, cheering her on by the sidelines._

_She clenched her teeth, feeling a fresh wave of tears as she intertwined her pinky finger with his. His bright smile warmed her aching heart._

"_I promise. Now can we go home?"_

_*Two Months Later*_

_She wanted to throw up. This couldn't be reality. He looked so peaceful, her husband, lying in his coffin. His dark hair was brushed neatly back, and he was dressed in his favorite dark blue suit. A few hands grazed her shoulder in comfort, but Rin was numb to the soft touches. The only solace she found was in the fact that he wasn't in pain anymore._

_Silent tears wet her cheeks, and even though various relatives and friends briefly gave their blessing and payers to Sam, she couldn't peel her eyes away from his face. She felt as if she didn't exist, like no one existed. Her mind couldn't comprehend the fact that he was no longer living, that she would never hear his voice again or feel his warm hands pressing into the sides of her face. _

_Someone gently touched her on her waist, and tried to pull her away. She cried out, and pushed the unknown person away. _

"_Sam?"_

_She waited for him to answer her. She stood, expecting his bright green eyes to blink open and for his light hearted smile to settle on his lips. But his face remained placid, and his eyes never opened._

_Oh, God._

_Her husband, her best friend, her world, was gone. He was gone. She felt her knees weaken, and her body shake violently. His voice drifted through her mind, reminding her of her promise she had made. _

"_I'll never love anyone else, Sam. Not for as long as I'm alive."_

_*Night of the accident*_

_She was…lonely. The various couples she saw dancing and drinking together only made it more prevalent to her. She breathed in and exhaled heavily. Slowly, she brought a beer to her lips and took a modest sip. _

_She didn't even know why she was here. She should be out enjoying this vacation in Japan, not moping in some random bar. The easy-to-miss bar had called to her, oddly enough, as she was walking about the city. _

_She was hardly a drinker. Yet tonight, she sat on the uncomfortable bar stool and nursed her tart beer, trying to understand why exactly she had come here. She was just about to reach for her wallet when he caught her eye. He was peculiar looking. She could readily tell he was a demon, but she had never seen one of his kind…plastered. _

_His silver hair was long and pulled back into a low ponytail, which exposed his pointed ears for her to see. From where she sat she could see the biting amber color of his eyes, and she could also see a deep sadness there._

_She almost immediately could identify with it. Had he, too, lost someone?_

_She didn't know how long she sat watching him before she mustered the strength to speak to him. One could easily have mistaken his sadness for anger, but she was well versed in the emotion that flickered through his eyes._

_She was lowering her body into a stool next to him before she realized what she was doing. He didn't seem to notice her at first, but when she touched his shoulder he turned a dark gaze onto her. _

"_Are you okay?"_

_She almost gasped when he touched her face; his claws lightly drew a pattern on her cheek almost childlike._

"_No."_

_His voice was slurred._

"_Drinking your problems away, huh?"_

_His finger dropped from her face, and he shrugged. His piercing eyes never left hers._

"_So what happened?"_

_He hesitated for a brief moment. His face darkened, and he looked around for the bartender, set on ordering another drink. She let her fingers wrap around his glass and she set it aside. He watched her do so, but didn't stop her._

"_My wife cheated on me."_

_She frowned, and offered him a sympathetic smile._

_"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. But you know, things happen. You shouldn't do things to spite her, like drink yourself stupid." _

_He didn't seem to like her response. He grunted, and rose from his stool on unsure legs. She stood as well, afraid he was going to fall. He righted himself, however, and she lost him in the crowd of people. _

_Sighing, she tapped a finger on the bar counter. In her chest she felt an odd sense of uneasiness. Something wasn't right. He was a stranger, but she found herself wanting to…follow him. He was obviously incoherently drunk. Did he have a ride? Was he here with a friend?_

_She sat there for a moment longer, until the pesky feeling of discomfort made her stand. She would just ask him if he was alright getting home. After leaving some cash on the counter, she scanned the crowd for silver hair. _

_She bit her lip, feeling a mixture of disappointment and worry. Outside, she breathed in fresh air while glancing up and down the street. The only noise was an ambulance as it raced by the bar and up the boulevard._

_Rin pressed her hands to her ears, cursing the vehicle for being so loud. The mysterious man wasn't outside either. Swallowing her disappointment, she tucked her hands into her pocket and dragged her feet to her rental car. _

"_I guess I'll go back to the hotel, then."_

_As she drove she saw the flashing lights of the ambulance that had previously passed her. When she saw the accident, her eyes widened and she couldn't contain her gasp. The car was practically wound around the thick tree that it had slammed into._

_She shook her head, wondering briefly what type of car it may have been before the terrible collision. She said a silent prayer, hoping whoever was in the car had survived. She didn't want to think about death._

_Pushing it out of her mind, Rin switched on the radio and relaxed in her seat the rest of the way back to the hotel. _

_*Present time, two years after Sesshomaru's Recovery*_

Rin smiled, waving goodbye to one of her former patients as they were driven out of her driveway. Another patient rehabilitated. It brought warmth to her heart to know she had yet again brought a stranger from despair to happiness.

Humming softly, she closed the front door to her home and clinic and settled her hands into the deep pockets of her white coat. That was her last patient before her off season. At one time, the six weeks off were something to look forward to. Now, she couldn't help but to want to continuously work.

When she wasn't busy, she was thinking about him. He had come to her, those few years ago, and completely and utterly changed her. After Sam died, she promised herself she would never feel what she had felt for her late husband ever again.

She knew Sam would be frowning down at her, upset that she had fought hard to keep her promise to him unfulfilled. Alas, she hadn't been able to help it. No man was as kind and sweet as her husband had been, and with that reasoning she had stayed single for all this time.

She was perfectly content with caring for her patients and living by herself in her clinic until she grew too old to work, and then Sesshomaru had come and shattered her perfectly crafted world. He was not like Sam at all; where Sam was never stingy with his smiles Sesshomaru was more reserved. Sam had worn his heart on his sleeve, while Sesshomaru was a naturally guarded man.

Yet, Sesshomaru called to her senses. His face made her heart flutter, and his eyes made her body ignite. At first she had felt ashamed for letting another man make her feel the way Sam had made her feel. However, the more she resisted it the more she reacted to him. His short stay at her clinic all but reduced her resolve to never love another man again to ashes.

The idea of loving Sesshomaru excited her, partly because she had forgotten what it was like to feel this way. She had always thought that she would try to find a man who duplicated Sam if she ever started to date again, but that wasn't the case.

Sesshomaru was far from a replacement, or a duplicate. He was everything Sam was not, and yet he had still managed to capture her emotions and invade her mind.

That night before he left, when he had regained his legs and entered her room, she had been reminded of what she had been doing a good job at forgetting.

His touch had been soft and careful. She would have never visualized Sesshomaru as a sensual lover, but he had handled her body with immense care and adoration that night. His kissed had lit fire down her neck and his hands had ignited the most sensitive nerves in her skin.

She blushed, remembering how hot she felt when he whispered her name into her ear as he rocked into her.

Lowering herself into her office desk chair, Rin halfheartedly flipped through the paperwork on her desk. She tried to forget how deeply disappointed she had felt when she awoke by herself the next morning, naked and dazed.

Pushing away the files, she repeatedly clicked a pen in her fingers. Her other hand hesitantly reached for her lowest drawer. Opening it, she pulled out a folded piece of paper. He had left this brief note on the pillow beside her, the one that smelled like him.

_Stay beautiful._

She had reread those two words for almost two years now, and even now it still brought an intense longing to her chest.

She couldn't deny the fact that she wanted him. She had often lied awake at night, trying to keep the memory of his voice alive in her head.

He was beginning to fade. His facial features became blurry as the days and months passed by.

Often she wanted to call him, if only to ask how he was doing. However, she knew she couldn't do that for the same reason he knew he couldn't call her.

What happened between them that last night could not be forgotten. They could never go on as just friends, not without wanting more. A relationship, as she had told him, was impossible. She had a life in the states, and he had his own in Japan.

One cannot throw caution to the wind for just anything.

_Yet…_

She shoved the paper back into the drawer and slammed it shut just as she heard the doorbell. She stood, smoothing her jacket and tucking a section of curls behind her ear before exiting her office.

How long was it going to be before she forgot about him, and he no longer haunted her dreams and thoughts?

The door bell sounded again, and Rin huffed. Agitated, she quickened her pace to the foyer. This person obviously knew no patience!

Putting on her best smile, she pulled the door open. Her eyes focused on the figure standing before her, and her smile immediately fell flat. Her breath caught in her throat, and she blinked repeatedly, as if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"I need your help. Dr. Kato, right?"

She continued to stare, too dumbstruck to comprehend what was going on. She nodded, eyes still wide with surprise.

"You see, doctor, I seem to have pulled something in my leg, and I heard you were the best around."

Rin smiled then, and found that she couldn't stop.

"I think I can take a look."

**-Sorry for a shorter chapter. I hope you guys are enjoying the story though. **

**Chapter question: Who do you think is at the door? Hmmm, perhaps you know, and then again, maybe you don't ;)…. -AF **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! It has literally been **_**years**_**. I can explain briefly what happened- I had all these chapters typed up and then a baby sprayed my computer with frebreeze until I died. No one on the planet wants to retype entire chapters over again like that. So that plus the fact that I didn't have my own computer really made me neglect my stories! So I truly apologize to all those who really were enjoying this story. I implore you to maybe re-read the chapters before this and become re-acclimated with this story because I honestly feel like this is one of my proudest works. Thank you and I hope you enjoy :) –AF**

_Chapter 7_

"Is jasmine tea alright?"

Rin glanced back to look at her guest. She was perched on a tall stood with one hand grasping the box of tea she was looking for. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she realized that he had been staring at her this entire time.

"Perfect."

Sesshomaru had changed very little over the course of two years. He was dressed in an impeccable three piece suite, all gray, with a blue accented tie and vest. A Rolex drew attention to his wrist. Not a single hair on his hair was out of place, and Rin couldn't help but to stare at the neat stubble that lined his jaw now. Truth be told she found him hotter now than before, if that was even possible.

How many nights had she lain awake wishing to see his face again, or even hear his voice? Now here he was, just randomly appearing on her doorstep talking of a pulled leg. She chuckled now at the rouse.

Stepping down from the step ladder, she miscalculated a step and gasped as her body began to fall. She yelped, and braced herself for impact.

Strong arms encircled her then, and the smell of cologne wafted through the air. Sesshomaru took his time placing her back on her feet. He leaned in close and breathed in deeply at the junction of her neck, an action that caused her to shiver.

When he did place her back on her feet, she turned to the stove where the tea pot was screaming.

"Thank you. So, tell me, how have you been?"

Behind her she could feel his presence; the heat radiating off of his body was making it very hard to ignore the stirrings between her legs.

He had been the last to touch her that night two years ago, and while she had started to forget his voice she had certainly not forgotten the feel of his body pressed flush against hers. Or how big his-

"I've been great. Busy, my company is expanding. So much so, that I'm heading a new branch that will be right here in California."

The news sparked hope in her heart. Had he come here to possibly finish what they had started? Pouring the tea into two separate cups, Rin gingerly handed one to her former patient.

"Wow that's fantastic! Now that you're so close I'm going to take it personally if you don't visit once in a while."

He chuckled as he sipped his tea, and Rin cursed herself in her head. She didn't want to make it sound like she wasn't interested in him, but at the same time two years was a lot of time. What if he had already moved on and found someone already?

"So. Any beautiful girl waiting for you home back in Japan?"

She felt confident enough to ask, knowing what implication it would leave, but as the words left her lips she immediately regretted them. Maybe she didn't want to know just yet why he was visiting her now after all this time.

Across from her, Sesshomaru pinned her with his stare.

"Actually, I left a beautiful girl in the States when I went back to Japan."

At hearing his confession, her heart sped up a few beats. Nervously, she reached into her lab jacket and found her favorite pen. Clicking it a few times, she brushed a few curls behind her ear before making eye contact once more.

Suddenly her mouth went dry.

"Oh?"

She didn't know what else to say.

Sesshomaru had a light smile shaping his lips.

"I was hoping that she'd still remember me, and perhaps let me take her out tonight."

She could hardly contain the excitement that bubbled up inside of her. Smiling broadly, the doctor stood and carried their cups to the sink.

"Well, I think her memory is a little fuzzy. Maybe he should remind her who he was again?"

She only meant to tease, but when she went to turn around Sesshomaru was standing right behind her. The next moment his lips were on hers and her body was pulled tightly against his taunt chest. Though caught off guard, Rin quickly threw her arms around his neck and pressed her chest into him.

A moan escaped her lips when he hoisted her up by her ass and placed her on the counter. Sesshomaru broke the kiss only to begin assaulting her neck. His hands both reached up to squeeze suggestively on her covered breasts.

"Mhmmmm Sessho."

He growled at the sound of his name. Taking one of her hands, he dragged it down his body until he pressed it into his crotch. Drunk with lust, Rin could feel the apex between her legs begin to throb painfully as she caressed his hardness through his dress pants.

"I've thought about touching you again every single day since I left."

His hot breath in her ear only made her shudder as her fingers fumbled with his belt.

"I've missed you so much Sesshomaru. I wanted to call but-"

He cut her off with a kiss; his tongue lightly traced her bottom lip before plunging into her mouth.

She was so into the kiss, she didn't realize that one of Sesshomaru's hands had found its way up her skirt and into her panties until he teasingly rubbed her clit.

She threw her head back in a loud moan, giving Sesshomaru full reign to her throat. He wasted no time in nipping and sucking the creamy skin there.

Finally, she pulled his thick length from its containment and squeezed it gingerly.

She was just about to beg him to take her, when

_*Verrrrrrr. Verrrrrrr. Verrrrr*_

"Don't answer it."

She kissed his chin and pouted at him as he pulled back to check his caller ID.

He held up a finger and kissed her lips before bringing the phone to his ear. Panting and disappointed, Rin mischievously continued to squeeze and caress his exposed shaft.

"Yes."

"_Sesshomaru, we need you here at the office. The clients on the Grayberg contract are threatening to walk. They're here now but will only speak with you_." 

"I'll be there in 10 minutes. Keep them busy."

Having heard the conversation, Rin was more than disappointed. She groaned when he unwrapped her fingers from around him and tucked himself back into his pants. He leaned forward then and kissed her hard on the lips. His amber eyes captivated her once more.

"We_ will_ finish this after dinner. "

His statement left a hot blush on her cheeks as her mind raced to fantasize about what she had almost gotten on her kitchen counter.

He gently lifted her back up and placed her feet back down on the floor.

"I'll be back to pick you up around 7."

Nodding, Rin walked him to the front door, where she stole one last kiss and watched as he strode to his car and drove off. Closing the door, she bit her lip and slid down the length of the wall. She squeezed her brown eyes shut.

"He came back."

Tears sprang from her eyes and trickled down her rosy cheeks.

A small smile upturned her lips.

"He really came back."

**Starting off a little short but not to worry :) As always looking forward to read your feedback.-AF**


End file.
